Water Resources of the United States

Water truly is a resource that gets used and used for everything. The same water can be utilized many times. This poster depicts 12 water uses which are labeled in bold red letters, beginning with mining and ending with transportation. Withdrawals (water removed from the river or ground), distribution, and returns (water returned to the river or ground) are depicted by the blue arrows. The poster is folded into 8 1/2" x 11" panels; front and back panels can easily be photocopied.

 From the mountains, the river flows through a reservoir and past urban, rural, and industrial settings in which various uses of water are depicted. Water is available from surface sources rivers, ponds, and lakes, and from ground water sources called aquifers.

 Recreation, Hydroelectric Power generation, Nature's Needs, and Transportation are instream uses which means that the water remains in the river. Consequently, very little water is consumed. The water can be reused farther downstream. Mining, Public Supply, Commercial, Domestic, Wastewater Treatment, Agriculture, Thermoelectric Power generation, and Industrial are offstream uses which means that the water is withdrawn from a source such as the river or ground. But only a part of the water withdrawn is actually consumed, so the remaining part is returned to the river or ground and can be used again (See Pie Charts). Different offstream uses consume different proportions of the water they withdraw (See Pie Charts).

INSTREAM USE

	Recreation     Water is used for recreational activities such as boating, rafting, kayaking, swimming, and fishing.
	Hydroelectric Power     Hydroelectric powerplants use water to generate electricity. Falling water turns the plant's turbine generators.
	Nature's Needs     Water is necessary to maintain life on our planet. Water supports all forms of life. Water forms and cleans stream and river channels. It surrounds and supports life in streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Nature's Needs include wetland communities, stream habitats, and fish reproduction.
	Transportation     Water provides a means for transporting goods and materials. Many rivers in the United States serve as major transportation networks.