Estimates of Water Use in the Western United States in 1990 and Water-Use Trends 1960-90: Report to the Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission

Abstract

The human population in the West increased 75 percent between 1960 and 1990, nearly double the national population growth rate.From 1960 to 1975, total withdrawals increased 35 percent, whereas population increased 29 percent; from 1975 to 1990, withdrawals decreased 2 percent, while population increased another 35 percent.Withdrawals for irrigation and livestock increased 28 percent from 1960 to 1975 and decreased 7 percent from 1975 to 1990.These patterns show that the rate of change in total water withdrawals in the West is more closely linked to irrigation, the dominant use, rather than to population.