Wyoming State Water Plan, Wyoming Water Development Office
Rafting on Snake River Lake Marie, Snowy Mountains Wyoming Wind River Range picture

Wyoming Water Facts

Water Use By Activity


Typical quantities of agricultural, domestic, and industrial water use are shown below. Agricultural activities, on average, account for 90 percent or more of the water used throughout the western United States. Only a portion of water "used" (withdrawn) is consumed. Water not consumed is called return flow and contributes to downstream surface and ground water supplies. Approximately half of the water applied by surface irrigation is consumed, and only one to twenty percent of water withdrawn for industrial processing or cooling is consumed. Individual water applications an consumptive use rates vary widely.

For more information visit: 2011 Wyoming River Basins' Surface Water Use Brochure




Wyoming Domestic Water Use
Crop Production Typical Quantities of Water Withdrawn
One acre of hay 3.3 acre feet
One acre of corn 2.7 acre feet
One acre of barley2.0 acre feet
One acre of sugar beets2.7 acre feet
Livestock
Beef cattle 15 gal/head/day
Sheep 1.5 gal/head/day
Horse 10 gal/head/day
Domestic Water Used
Average use per residence0.57 af/year
505 gal/day
Total use per person158 gal/day
Indoor use per person78 gal/day
Toilet27 gal/day
Laundry17 gal/day
Showers14 gal/day
Misc.20 gal/day
Outdoor use per person80 gal/day
Industrial Water Use (process, transportation, cooling)
Petroleum refining770 gal/barrel
Coal gasification (250 mmcf/day)4,750-13,900 af/year
Coal hydrogenation-liquefication
(dry cooling 100,000 barrels fuel/day)
10,000-12,000 af/year
Coal slurry pipeline (one million tons/year) 600 af/year
Electric generating plant (1,000 mw) 7,000-29,000 af/year