A National Assessment of Water Availability and Use

Abstract

This article discusses the benefits and challenges of a national assessment of water availability and use. A national water assessment represents a unique opportunity to: develop consistent methods and indicators for assessing water availability and use; compile information on water resources comprehensively for the entire nation; address emerging issues for water resources; and, develop a framework for long‐range planning and a source of current information through regular, periodic updates. The article points out that a national assessment of water resources will depend on the coordination of many federal agencies working in collaboration with Native American tribes, state and local governments, public utilities, private water users, and others with an interest in the services provided by rivers, streams, lakes, aquifers, and estuaries. The article also discusses how, in the twenty‐first century, ecological needs and the integration of many different in‐stream and out‐of‐stream uses represent new issues in assessing water availability. Addressing these issues will require information not only on the basic physical hydrology of groundwater and surface water and current water use, but also on an understanding of how stream flow and groundwater function in ecosystems and how people benefit from functioning ecosystems. Moreover, this information is needed across entire river basins as water use becomes more intensive, widespread, and its effects are no longer just a local concern. The article offers an insert on the U.S. Department of the Interior's WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) Program.