Wisconsin Water Use
Project Number: 9KH51
Project Chief: Cheryl Buchwald
Project Topics: Water Resources Management and Analysis
Cooperators:Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Period of Project: ongoing
Problem
It has become increasingly apparent that to meet growing water demands, established water infrastructure and limited water supply must be managed more effectively. It is apparent that the U.S. no longer can try to meet water demands by expanding a supply that has physical, ecological, and economic limits. “New” future water supplies will likely be from conservation, recycling, reuse, and improved water-use efficiency rather than from ambitious development projects.
As a result, a transition is underway to an era of “integrated water-resources management” that balances traditional supply-management options with progressive demand-management options. These approaches require that water-resource managers and hydrologists have comprehensive, unbiased, and reliable water-use data to balance the competition between traditional uses and new recreational and environmental uses.
Objectives
Specific objectives of the Wisconsin Water-Use Information Program are to:
•Analyze the source, use, and disposition of water resources at local and state levels
•Reply to water-use information requests from the public
•Document trends in water use in Wisconsin
•Cooperate with state and local agencies on projects of special interest
•Develop water-use databases
•Publish a Wisconsin water-use data report
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