Water Withdrawals for Aquaculture in the United States

In 2005, an estimated 8.8 billion gallons of freshwater were withdrawn from groundwater and surface water sources for use at aquaculture operations in the United States.  Aquaculture is the farming of organisms that live in water—such as finfish and shellfish—for food, restoration, conservation, or sport.  Aquaculture production occurs under controlled feeding, sanitation, and harvesting procedures primarily in ponds, flow-through raceways, and, to a lesser extent, cages, net pens, and tanks. Aquaculture ponds, raceways, and tanks usually require the withdrawal or diversion of water from a ground or surface source.  Water typically is added for maintenance of levels, oxygenation, temperature control, and flushing of wastes.  Freshwater aquaculture operations using ponds, raceways, and tanks in the United States typically raise catfish, trout, bass, perch, tilapia, bait fish, sport fish, ornamental fish, crayfish, shrimp, alligators, and turtles.  Estimates of water withdrawals for aquaculture are often based on aquaculture statistics, such as pond acreage or stocking rate, and a water-use coefficient or water-replacement rate.