NWIS Baseline Standards

Baseline Standards for Water Use Data Export to NWIS SWUDS

The Water-Use Data and Research Program (WUDR) run by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) strives to provide financial assistance to State water resource agencies to improve the availability, quality, and delivery of statewide water-use data.

The National Water Information System (NWIS) is comprised of the Ground-Water Site-Inventory (GWSI), Site-Specific Water-Use Data System (SWUDS), Automated Data Processing System (ADAPS), and the Water-Quality System (QWDATA). We are concerned with exporting statewide water use data to the SWUDS. Site-Specific refers to a specific water source, location of withdrawal, water quantity, and category of use. Below are the baseline standards of the types of data needed for each water use category.

There are three tiers of baseline standard goals. You are allowed to provide a mixture of tier 1, 2, and 3 data. However, tier 1 is the absolute minimum needed for export.

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References

• Summary of Baseline Standards
• Full WUDR Guidelines
• Water Use Terminology
• USGS Data-Transfer Guidance

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Baseline Standards

Water Use Category	Tier 1 Goals
Public Supply	Monthly withdrawals reported by system, water source, and water type. Deliveries to domestic users from public-supply systems, and populations served. Report system information relevant to HUC-8 and county, and groundwater withdrawals with aquifer designation.
Industrial	Annual withdrawals by facility, reported by water source, by water type, and industry classification. Groundwater withdrawals reported with reference to aquifer.
Irrigation-Crop	Aggregate annual withdrawals reported by water source, by water type, acres irrigated, and method of irrigation. Aggregate areas may be sub-county levels, but are feasible to summarize to county or HUC8.
Irrigation-Golf Courses	Site-specific annual and monthly withdrawals reported by water source, by water type, and acres irrigated. Groundwater withdrawals designated by aquifer.
Thermoelectric	Site-specific, annual and monthly withdrawals, and net power generation reported by cooling-system type (once-through or recirculating), by water source and by water type, and the source of the information (plant, govt. agency, etc.). Site-specific return flows.
Self-Supplied Domestic*	Self-supplied domestic populations, by HUC8 and county, and by water source.
Livestock	Annual withdrawals for major facilities, reported by water source and by water type.
Mining	Annual withdrawals reported by HUC-8 and county, by source of water, and by water type.
Aquaculture	Annual withdrawals reported by HUC-8 and county, by source of water, and by water type.
Commercial	Annual and monthly deliveries from public supply for commercial use.
Hydroelectric Power	Site-specific, annual and monthly water use (water use to spin turbines) by water source and water type, and the source of the information (plant, govt. agency, etc.).
Wastewater Treatment	Annual and monthly deliveries from wastewater treatment plants to other users. Specify category delivered to (i.e. industrial, thermoelectric, irrigation, etc.)

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Water Use Category	Tier 2 Goals
Public Supply	Site-specific annual and monthly withdrawals (by intake, well, or well field) reported by water source, and by water type. Quantity of water purchased between systems, and source(s) of purchased water. Quantity of water sold between systems. Reporting and/or verification of water deliveries for domestic, commercial, industrial, thermoelectric and other use.
Industrial	Site-specific (by intake and/or well) annual and monthly withdrawals reported by water source, by water type, and industry classification. Deliveries from public supply to industrial facility, and deliveries from other sources, such as treated wastewater.
Irrigation-Crop	Site-specific monthly withdrawals by well and/or diversion from surface-water feature, or delivery from reclaimed wastewater. Monthly withdrawals reported by water source, water type, with associated acres irrigated and crop type, and method of irrigation system.
Irrigation-Golf Courses	Consumptive use estimates, by course, reported by month or annual. Acres irrigated by system type, by course.
Thermoelectric	Site-specific annual and monthly consumptive use.
Self-Supplied Domestic*	Studies of actual metered domestic withdrawals, monthly by source. Improve estimates of self-supplied populations by utilizing property data and/or public water supply service areas, or other methods.
Livestock	Site-specific annual and monthly withdrawals for all facilities reported by source of water, and by water type. Site-specific animal counts and animal type.
Mining	Site-specific annual and monthly withdrawals. Site-specific commodity identified.
Aquaculture	Site-specific annual and monthly withdrawals. Site-specific facility information (method, species cultured, etc.)
Commercial	Site-specific annual and monthly withdrawals for self-supplied establishments.
Hydroelectric Power
Wastewater Treatment

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Water Use Category	Tier 3 Goals
Public Supply	Interbasin transfers. System uses (internal and other non-revenue uses) and losses. Improve estimates of populations served by site (for example, by surface-water intake, well or well field). Use of reclaimed wastewater for public or landscape irrigation.
Industrial	Site-specific consumptive use estimates. Site-specific discharges to surface water, or land application.
Irrigation-Crop	Consumptive use and conveyance loss estimates by aggregate area (sub-county, county, HUC8, or up to HUC12. Site-specific return flows.
Irrigation-Golf Courses
Thermoelectric
Self-Supplied Domestic*
Livestock	Improved and verified coefficients for water use per head for animal type, confined or open-range, seasonal variability, and other variables. Water withdrawals from sources supported by USDA programs to protect streams.
Mining	Evaluation/reporting on water use by process (commodity processing, dewatering, dust suppression, etc.). Reporting on return flows/discharge of water from dewatering.
Aquaculture
Commercial
Hydroelectric Power
Wastewater Treatment