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<p>The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that Virginia withdraws about 29.2&#xa0;billion liters of water daily. However, detailed data on water availability and demand at finer scales remain limited, hindering accurate assessments of blue water footprint and scarcity. This study analyzes agricultural water demand and blue water scarcity in Virginia from 1985 to 2015, focusing on county-level crop water footprints and watershed-scale scarcity. Using data from the USGS and the United States Department of Agriculture, we estimated blue, green, and grey water footprints for 18 major crops. Blue water scarcity was defined as the ratio of total water demand (irrigation, industrial, domestic, and environmental) to available water (surface runoff plus groundwater recharge). Environmental demand was estimated using a hydrology-based method. Hotspots of agricultural water use were identified in counties such as Augusta, Rockingham, Southampton, and Suffolk. Groundwater use peaked in the mid-1990s, then declined as surface water became more dominant. A strong spatial overlap was observed between high-scarcity watersheds and high-withdrawal counties. These findings provide critical insights for targeting sustainable water management strategies and addressing emerging water stress in Virginia’s agricultural regions.</p>

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Agricultural water footprints, irrigation water withdrawal, and blue water scarcity in Virginia from 1985 to 2015

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月30日

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  • Naveen Joseph,
  • Andrew S. Foy

摘要

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that Virginia withdraws about 29.2 billion liters of water daily. However, detailed data on water availability and demand at finer scales remain limited, hindering accurate assessments of blue water footprint and scarcity. This study analyzes agricultural water demand and blue water scarcity in Virginia from 1985 to 2015, focusing on county-level crop water footprints and watershed-scale scarcity. Using data from the USGS and the United States Department of Agriculture, we estimated blue, green, and grey water footprints for 18 major crops. Blue water scarcity was defined as the ratio of total water demand (irrigation, industrial, domestic, and environmental) to available water (surface runoff plus groundwater recharge). Environmental demand was estimated using a hydrology-based method. Hotspots of agricultural water use were identified in counties such as Augusta, Rockingham, Southampton, and Suffolk. Groundwater use peaked in the mid-1990s, then declined as surface water became more dominant. A strong spatial overlap was observed between high-scarcity watersheds and high-withdrawal counties. These findings provide critical insights for targeting sustainable water management strategies and addressing emerging water stress in Virginia’s agricultural regions.