Overview
Freshwater withdrawal is the measure of how much water is used from a terrestrial source. This includes lakes, rivers, groundwater, and other forms of surface water, but excludes the water used in rain-fed systems. It is essential that the resource is not being used carelessly as several countries are already subject to high water stress (high ratio of freshwater withdrawal to renewable freshwater sources). Furthermore, freshwater withdrawal is projected to grow with increased population and consumption of water intensive food products, such as beef. This paper will be measuring freshwater withdrawal throughout a commodity’s life cycle unless specifically stated otherwise, composed of the water used during farming and growth stages, as well as inputs from processing. We report freshwater withdrawal as liters of water per kilogram of edible product, with an exception to roundwood, which will be per cubic meter of underbark roundwood.
Agricultural Freshwater Withdrawal
Freshwater withdrawal comes from many different industries, but the agriculture industry makes up upwards of 80% of the surface water used in the United States and 70% of the world’s supply. This water is directed toward a variety of uses such as irrigation, agrochemical application, crop cooling, and frost control and positively affects yields if used properly. However, due to it being a finite resource, it is crucial that conservation practices are implemented to maximize the efficiency of water usage.
Impacts of Freshwater Withdrawal
Water supplies are limited, so using excessive amounts before these sources are able to “recharge” leads to regions becoming “water-stressed.” Groundwater-dependent countries that experience little rainfall are threatened by potential water-stress as the lack of precipitation halts the recharge process. As reported by the United Nations in a 2018 report, over 2 billion people live in highly water-stressed countries, many of which face the risk of displacement from a lack of water. Water is important for human consumption and sanitation, as well as for agricultural production. For farms, it is important that practices are adjusted in order to preserve the longevity of farms as regions that are strained for water may suffer from destroyed produce, negatively impacted wildlife, worsened soil quality, and more.