Researchers at Virginia Tech created a national database of water withdrawals. They collected records from state agencies and standardized data from many states. The database includes withdrawals from rivers, lakes and underground aquifers and offers monthly and annual data when available.
The dataset focuses on self‑supplied withdrawals, meaning water taken directly from a source, not deliveries to homes or businesses. Early results show that about half of recorded entries are for agricultural irrigation, while the power sector withdraws the largest total volume each year. The database is publicly available to help communities and policymakers plan and manage water use.
Difficult words
- withdrawal — removal of water from a natural sourcewithdrawals
- aquifer — layer of underground rock or soil with wateraquifers
- dataset — collection of related information or records
- irrigation — watering land or crops for plant growth
- standardize — make different data the same formatstandardized
- policymaker — person who helps create public rules or lawspolicymakers
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could a public database of water withdrawals help your local community?
- Who in your area should use this database and why?
- Would monthly or annual data be more useful for planning where you live? Why?
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