Alaska Water Budget and the Alaska Water Use Data System (AKWUDS)

Authors: Petrone, Kevin C., Alaska Hydrologic Survey; Daniels, Adam, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Hydrologic Survey

Video Presentation

Abstract

Alaska is purported to contain up to 40% of the freshwater resources of the United States with a significant portion of U.S. freshwater runoff to the oceans. In this study, the hydrologic budget of Alaska (precipitation inputs - runoff outputs) is compared to Alaska Water Use by the population. Alaska Water Use is reported to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Hydrologic Survey (AHS) that maintains the Alaska Water Use Data System (AKWUDS), a database of monthly water use data records from statehood to present. Recent improvements in the AKWUDS database collect valuable metadata (surface and subsurface source type and locations, hydrologic unit, aquifer type, etc.). Overall, we find that Alaska water use is small proportion of Alaska's overall water budget, especially when compared to the lower 48 states. Alaska hydroelectric water use, a non-consumptive water use, far exceeds all other water use types. Among consumptive uses, Alaska potable supply, including public supply and self-supplied domestic, is the largest water supply category followed by industrial uses (mining, oil and gas). Although Alaska has an abundance of water, water is not always available when and where it is needed. Surface water supply is affected by frozen winter conditions and groundwater is not always readily available due to low-supply aquifers and the presence of permafrost. The future of Alaska's water budget will depend on the balance of precipitation and evapotranspiration as well as the contribution of glacier losses and human uses.

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