Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United States of America
United States of America: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total was 15.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United States of America, 1980–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of internal resources.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United States of America is 15.8%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United States of America peaked at 18.4% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 14.9%, in 2010.
That places United States of America 70th out of 177 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of internal resources | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 18.4% | — |
| 1981 | 18.2% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 18.0% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 17.8% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 17.6% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 17.4% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 17.2% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 17.1% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 16.9% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 16.7% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 16.5% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 16.5% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 16.6% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 16.6% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 16.6% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 16.7% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 16.7% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 16.7% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 16.7% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 16.8% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 16.8% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 16.8% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 17.0% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 16.6% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 15.7% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 15.3% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 14.9% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 15.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 15.2% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 15.4% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 15.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 17.5% | 16.7% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.6% | 16.5% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.5% | 15.3% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.5% | 14.9% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.8% | 15.8% | 15.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More climate change data for United States of America
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 4.1% (2100)
- Urban population 80.2% (2025)
- Urban population 274.08 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.6% (2025)
- Population, total 341.79 million (2025)
- Population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals 6,164 (2024)
- Temperature change with respect to a baseline climatology 1.95 (2024)
- Per capita CO₂ emissions vs. per capita energy use 14.2 tonnes per person (2024)
- Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change 20.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United States of America?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United States of America was 15.8% in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 18.4% in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.9% in 2010.
- How does United States of America rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- United States of America ranks 70th out of 177 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins. Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source. Withdrawals can exceed 100 percent of total renewable resources where extraction from nonrenewable aquifers or desalination plants is considerable or where there is significant water reuse. Withdrawals for agriculture and industry are total withdrawals for irrigation and livestock production and for direct industrial use (including withdrawals for cooling thermoelectric plants). Withdrawals for domestic uses include drinking water, municipal use or supply, and use for public services, commercial establishments, and homes. Data are for the most recent year available for 1987-2002.