Title national water use wells project project period 02 01 2023 03 31 2025THIS project will develop a methodological framework to link irrigated croplands to the specific water sources supplying…

This cooperative agreement between the U.S. Geological Survey and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will provide $173,424 to develop a methodological framework linking irrigated croplands to their specific water sources from February 1, 2023 to March 31, 2025. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection program (CFDA 15.808), this project directly supports the agency's Water Availability and Use Science Program efforts to improve water use and availability estimates across all sectors.

Key deliverables include novel water use and infrastructure data products, a proof of concept modeling framework to determine the sources of water for agriculture from streams, lakes and aquifers, and peer-reviewed publications. Findings and datasets generated through this collaboration will also support other U.S. Geological Survey initiatives such as enhanced representation of human influences in hydrologic models and refined domestic and public water use estimates. By enabling targeted data collection and sharing of water infrastructure information, this cooperative agreement will advance federal efforts to comprehensively account for water use and availability nationwide.

Title national water use wells project project period 02 01 2023 03 31 2025THIS project will develop a methodological framework to link irrigated croplands to the specific water sources supplying these croplands. Virginia polytechnic institute and state university(virginia tech) hypothesize that water infrastructure (e.g., surface canals, pipelines, groundwater wells) are a key predictor of an irrigated cropland s water source. Important deliverables from this two year project include novel water use and water infrastructure data products, a proof of concept modeling framework, and peer reviewed publications. This project supports ongoing efforts of the united states geological survey (USGS) water availability and use science program to improve water use and availability estimates across all sectors and to determine sources of water from streams, lakes, and aquifers and associate these sources with the populations and places served. Furthermore, findings and products from this project will support other USGS initiatives, such as improved representation of anthropogenic influences within hydrologic models and data to support refined domestic and public supply water use estimates. This agreement will enable data collection and sharing, as well as pilot investigations, that would not otherwise be possible without this collaboration.