U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: National water-use data dictionary.
Version: May 23, 1996
===================================================================================
This dictionary describes the data elements in the U.S. Geological Survey
water-use data files. The units of measurement will be Million gallons per day
(Mgal/d), unless otherwise noted.
The U.S. Geological Survey keeps a "data depository" of national water-use
data. Every five years water-use data for the United States is compiled and
entered into national water-use data sets. These data sets are available
for you to download to your site, and you'll need this file to let you
know where each water-use data element is in the data files.
Data files are available in a variety of formats (for use with different
computer operating systems). Data files can be downloaded in "plain ASCII"
format, in a "self-extracting" MSDOS-compressed format, or in a UNIX-
compressed format. The compressed formated files are much smaller than than
"plain ASCII" files and thus will download much faster and take up much
less disk space on your computer.
Here are the formats:
(1) UNIX compressed (___.gz) format:
These files will download in 'binary' ftp mode. Use the UNIX 'gunzip'
command to restore to ASCII format.
(2) PLAIN ASCII format:
These files are plain text and can be downloaded in 'ascii' ftp mode.
Note the files sizes of these files before downloading.
(3) MSDOS compressed (____.exe) format:
These files will download in 'binary' ftp mode. These files were
compressed using the MSDOS program "PKZIP". The compressed files
are 'self-extracting', that is, if you run the file it will
uncompress itself into the original file or set of files. For
example, if you download the file 'ga90co.exe' to your MSDOS
machine you would type "ga90co", which will uncompress the file.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's an explanation of the data-file nameing converntion used. The names
shown are "generalized" for all 3 types of files, so note these examples of
specific names for each type of file:
UNIX compressed files PLAIN ASCII MSDOS Compressed
--------------------- ------------ ----------------
us90st.gz us90st us90st.exe
ga90co.gz ga90co ga90co.exe
ga85w4.gz ga85w4 ga85w4.exe
ga85w6 ga85w6 ga85w6.exe
ga85w8.gz ga85w8 ga85w8.exe
'us' denotes national (U.S.) files
'co' denotes county files
'w2' denotes water-resources region files (2-digit water-basin code)
'w4' denotes water-resources subregion files (4-digit water-basin code)
'w6' denotes water-resources accounting unit files (6-digit water-basin code)
'w8' denotes water-resources cataloging unit files (8-digit water-basin code)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the six varieties of data files available:
(1) National files:
These files contain data for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands (53 "states" in all). For example, a file titled
'us90st' will contain data by state, so it will have 53 lines in it. A file
titled 'us90co' will have 3225 lines in it - one line for each county in the U.S.
And a file such as 'us90w8' will have 2263 data lines - one for every water-
resources cataloging unit (8-digit hydrologic unit) in the country. In these
national files the water-resources boundaries will ignore state lines.
(2) County files:
These files will be by state, and each file will contain data for each county
in that state, 1 line per county.
(3) Water-resources region files:
There are only two files here - national files for 1985 and 1990. There are only
21 water-resources regions in the U.S., so each file will have 21 lines in it.
(4) Water-resources subregion files by State:
These files contain data for the water-resources subregions in each state. Note
that in any state, the data pertains to only that portion of the subregion that is
within the state boundaries.
(5) Water-resources accounting unit files by State:
These files contain data for the water-resources accounting units in each state.
Note that in any state, the data pertains to only that portion of the accounting unit
that is within the state boundaries.
(6) Water-resources cataloging unit files by State:
These files contain data for the water-resources cataloging units in each state.
Note that in any state, the data pertains to only that portion of the cataloging unit
that is within the state boundaries.
For items (2), (4), (5), and (6) above, if you want to get all or some of the
individual state files at one time, there is also a single compressed (MSDOS
and UNIX) file that, when uncompressed, will create 53 individual state files.
An example name for a file like this is 'us90cost.exe'. In this case, this is
an MSDOS compressed file of 1990 county data, by state. The file will uncompress
into 53 state files, with each file containing county data.
Note: In 1985 there are no accounting unit and cataloging unit data files for these
states: FL, IL, IN, PR, TX, and VI. Likewise, there are no national accounting
unit and cataloging unit 1985 files.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All of the USGS data files were reformatted in May 1996. They are now in a 'spreadsheet'
format, in which all fields are separated by a TAB character. This method should
allow the data to be easily imported into a spreadsheet program on your computer.
The first line in each data file contains the 'headers', which is an 8 (or so)-letter
code describing each data element. For example, the code for 'Commercial
witdrawals, ground-water, fresh' is 'co-wgwfr'. Each line (record) in the data
files begins with some descriptive information, such as the state, year, and
county or water-resources region code. There are headers for these items at the
beginning of the first line (the header line). These first few header codes varies
by file type.
=================================================================================================
NOTE: The initial header information (first 4 or 5 items in each line) varies by file type. The
actual code headers for the data elements are described below:
The data elements with a "Entered by user" under the "HOW ELEMENT IS COMPUTED" heading are
those data that are compiled and entered manually into the data files. A data element that
is not "Entered by user" was calculated by using other data values. For example, both the
'ps-popgw' (index #2) and 'ps-popsw' (index #3) are summed to create 'ps-popto' (index #5).
So, total public-supply population served is computed by summing the population served
by ground water and the population served by surface water.
WATER-USE DATA ELEMENT CODE INDEX HOW ELEMENT IS COMPUTED
====================================================================================================
TOTAL POPULATION (in AREA, in thousands) po-total 2 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUBLIC SUPPLY:
Population served (thousands): Ground water ps-popgw 3 Entered by user
" " Surface water ps-popsw 4 Entered by user
" " Total ps-popto 5 3+4
Water withdrawals, fresh Ground water ps-wgwfr 6 Entered by user
" " " Surface water ps-wswfr 7 Entered by user
" " " Total fresh ps-wtofr 8 6+7
Water withdrawals, saline Ground water ps-wgwsa 9 Entered by user
" " " Surface water ps-wswsa 10 Entered by user
" " " Total saline ps-wsato 11 9+10
Water withdrawals, total Total total ps-total 12 6+7+9+10
Water deliveries: Public use and losses ps-loss 13 12-21-30-44-71-93
" " Total deliveries ps-deliv 14 13+21+30+44+71+93
Per capita use: Total, Gal/d ps-prcap 15 12*1000/5
Number of facilities: In area ps-facil 16 Entered by user
" " " Water-use database ps-facdb 17 Entered by user
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMERCIAL:
Self-supplied withdrawals: Ground water co-wgwfr 18 Entered by user
" " Surface water co-wswfr 19 Entered by user
" " Total co-wtotl 20 18+19
Deliveries from water supply: Fresh co-psdel 21 Entered by user
Total: Withdr. + Deliveries co-total 22 18+19+21
Consumptive use: co-cuse 23 Entered by user
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOMESTIC:
SELF SUPPLIED:
Population: Thousands do-sspop 24 2-5
Water withdrawals: Ground water do-ssgwf 25 Entered by user
" Surface water do-ssswf 26 Entered by user
" Total do-sstot 27 25+26
Per capita use: Gal/d do-sspcp 28 (25+26)*1000/24
PUBLIC SUPPLIED:
Population: Thousands do-pspop 29 5
Deliveries from water supply Fresh do-psdel 30 Entered by user
Per capita use: Gal/d do-pspcp 31 30*1000/29
TOTAL:
Withdrawals + deliveries: do-total 32 25+26+30
Consumptive use: do-cuse 33 Entered by user
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDUSTRIAL:
Self-supplied withdrawals: Ground water, fresh in-wgwfr 34 Entered by user
" " Ground water, saline in-wgwsa 35 Entered by user
" " Ground water, total in-wgwto 36 34+35
" " Surface water, fresh in-wswfr 37 Entered by user
" " Surface water, saline in-wswsa 38 Entered by user
" " Surface water, total in-wswto 39 37+38
" " Total, Fresh in-wtofr 40 34+37
" " Total, Saline in-wtosa 41 35+38
" " Total, Total in-wtotl 42 34+35+37+38
" " Reclaimed Sewage in-recww 43 Entered by user
Deliveries from water supply Fresh in-psdel 44 Entered by user
Total, withdrawal+deliveries Fresh in-total 45 34+37+44
Consumptive use Fresh in-cufr 46 Entered by user
" " Saline in-cusal 47 Entered by user
" " Total in-cuse 48 46+47
Number of facilities: In area in-facil 49 Entered by user
" " " In water-use database in-facdb 50 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THERMOELECTRIC POWER (ELECTRIC):
All thermoelectric water use: Ground water, fresh pt-wgwfr 51 65+79+87
" " " " Surface water, fresh pt-wswfr 52 66+88
" " " " Surface water, saline pt-wswsa 53 67+89
" " " " Surface water, total pt-wswto 54 66+67+88+89
" " " " Total, fresh pt-frtot 55 65+66+79+87+88
" " " " Total, total pt-wtotl 56 65+66+67+79+80+87+88+89
Deliveries from water supply Fresh pt-psdel 57 71+93
Total: Withdrawal + deliv Fresh pt-total 58 65+66+71+79+87+88+93
Consumptive use Fresh pt-cufr 59 73+82+95
" " Saline pt-cusal 60 74+83+96
" " Total pt-cuse 61 73+74+82+83+95+96
Total power generated: Gigawatthours/year pt-power 62 76+84+98
Number of facilities: In area pt-facil 63 77+85+99
" " " In water-use database pt-facdb 64 78+86+100
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THERMOELECTRIC POWER (ELECTRIC), FOSSIL FUEL
Fossil fuel: Withdrawals Ground water, fresh pf-wgwfr 65 Entered by user
" " " Surface water, fresh pf-wswfr 66 Entered by user
" " " Surface water, saline pf-wswsa 67 Entered by user
" " " Surface water, total pf-wswto 68 66+67
" " " Total, fresh pf-frtot 69 65+66
" " " Total pf-wtotl 70 65+66+67
Deliveries from water supply Fresh pf-psdel 71 Entered by user
Total: Withdrawal + deliver Fresh pf-total 72 65+66+71
Consumptive use Fresh pf-cufr 73 Entered by user
" " Saline pf-cusal 74 Entered by user
" " Total pf-cuse 75 73+74
Power generation Gigawatthours/year pf-power 76 Entered by user
Number of facilities: In area pf-facil 77 Entered by user
" " " In water-use database pf-facdb 78 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THERMOELECTRIC POWER (ELECTRIC), GEOTHERMAL
Geothermal: Withdrawals Ground water, fresh pg-wgwfr 79 Entered by user
" " Ground water, saline pg-wgwsa 80 Entered by user
" " Total pg-wtotl 81 79+80
Consumptive use Fresh pg-cufr 82 Entered by user
" " Saline pg-cusal 83 Entered by user
Power generation Gigawatthours/year pg-power 84 Entered by user
Number of facilities: In area pg-facil 85 Entered by user
" " " In water-use database pg-facdb 86 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THERMOELECTRIC POWER (ELECTRIC), NUCLEAR:
Nuclear: Withdrawals Ground water, fresh pn-wgwfr 87 Entered by user
" " Surface water, fresh pn-wswfr 88 Entered by user
" " Surface water, saline pn-wswsa 89 Entered by user
" " Surface water, total pn-wswto 90 88+89
" " Total, fresh pn-frtot 91 87+88
" " Total, total pn-wtotl 92 87+88+89
Deliveries from water supply Fresh pn-psdel 93 Entered by user
Total: Withdrawal + deliveries Fresh pn-total 94 87+88+93
Consumptive use Fresh pn-cufr 95 Entered by user
" " Saline pn-cusal 96 Entered by user
" " Total pn-cuse 97 95+96
Power generation Gigawatthours/year pn-power 98 Entered by user
Number of facilities: In area pn-facil 99 Entered by user
" " " In water-use database pn-facdb 100 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MINING:
Withdrawals: Ground water, fresh mi-wgwfr 101 Entered by user
" Ground water, saline mi-wgwsa 102 Entered by user
" Ground water, total mi-gwtot 103 101+102
" Surface water, fresh mi-wswfr 104 Entered by user
" Surface water, saline mi-wswsa 105 Entered by user
" Surface water, total mi-swtot 106 104+105
Withdrawals, total: Total, fresh mi-frtot 107 101+104
" " Total, saline mi-satot 108 102+105
" " Total, total mi-total 109 101+102+104+105
Consumptive Use: Fresh mi-cufr 110 Entered by user
" " Saline mi-cusal 111 Entered by user
" " Total mi-cuse 112 110+111
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIVESTOCK:
Stock: Withdrawals: Ground water ls-gwtot 113 Entered by user
" " Surface water ls-swtot 114 Entered by user
" " Total ls-total 115 113+114
Stock, consumptive use: ls-cuse 116 Entered by user
Animal specialties, withdrawals: Ground water la-gwtot 117 Entered by user
" " " Surface water la-swtot 118 Entered by user
" " " Total la-total 119 117+118
Animal specialties, consumptive use: la-cuse 120 Entered by user
Total livestock: Withdrawals: Ground water lv-gwtot 121 113+117
" " " Surface water lv-swtot 122 114+118
" " " Total lv-total 123 113+114+117+118
Total livestock, consumptive use: lv-cuse 124 116+120
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRRIGATION
Withdrawals, fresh Ground water ir-wgwfr 125 Entered by user
" " Surface water ir-wswfr 126 Entered by user
" Reclaimed sewage ir-recww 127 Entered by user
" " Total, fresh ir-frtot 128 125+126
Irrigated land, in acres: Sprayed ir-spray 129 Entered by user
" " " " Flooded ir-flood 130 Entered by user
" " " " Total ir-irrig 131 129+130
Conveyance losses: Total ir-convy 132 Entered by user
Consumptive use: ir-cuse 133 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HYDROELECTRIC POWER:
Water use: Total hy-total 134 Entered by user
Power generation: Gigawatthours/year hy-power 135 Entered by user
Number of facilities: In area hy-facil 136 Entered by user
" " " In water-use database hy-facdb 137 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEWAGE TREATMENT:
Number of facilities: Public ww-facpu 138 Entered by user
" " " Industrial + Other ww-facot 139 Entered by user
" " " Total number ww-facil 140 138+139
Returns from municipal systems: ww-retrn 141 Entered by user
Number of facilities: In water-use database ww-facdb 142 Entered by user
Reclaimed waste water (WW) from pub. WW facilities ww-recww 143 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESERVOIR EVAPORATION
Amount evaporated, in thousand acre feet: Fresh re-evap 144 Entered by user
Surface area, in 1000 acres: re-area 145 Entered by user
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL WATER USE
Ground water, fresh to-gwfr 146 6+18+25+34+65+79+87+101+113+117+125
Ground water, saline to-gwsal 147 9+35+80+102
Ground water, total to-totgw 148 6+9+18+25+34+35+65+79+80+87+101+
102+113+117+125
Surface water, fresh to-swfr 149 7+19+26+37+66+88+104+114+118+126
Surface water, saline to-swsal 150 10+38+67+89+105
Surface water, total to-totsw 151 7+10+19+26+37+38+66+67+88+89+104+
105+114+118+126
Total, fresh to-totfr 152 6+7+18+19+25+26+34+37+65+66+79+87+
Total, saline to-totsa 153 9+10+35+38+67+80+89+102+105
Total, total to-total 154 6+7+9+10+18+19+25+26+34+35+37+38+65+
66+67+79+80+87+88+89+101+102+104+105+
113+114+117+118+125+126
Reclaimed sewage to-recww 155 43+127
Consumptive use, fresh to-cufr 156 23+33+46+73+82+95+110+116+120+133
Consumptive use, saline to-cusal 157 47+74+83+96+111
Consumptive use, total to-cuse 158 23+33+46+47+73+74+82+83+95+96+110+
111+116+120+133
Conveyance losses to-convy 159 132
Last updated
The URL for this page is http://
Maintainer: wu-web@usgs.gov
USGS Privacy Statement | Disclaimer