Average annual rates of evapotranspiration, quick-flow runoff, and recharge for the CONUS, 2000-2013

This dataset includes 800m resolution long-term average estimates of the distribution of incoming precipitation and groundwater-sourced irrigation into contributions to the evapotranspiration (ET), quick-flow runoff, and effective recharge water budget components over the 2000-2013 time period, as well as annual estimates for the individual years. It also includes other data supporting the methods development that produced these maps, corresponding to the figures in the associated journal article. The estimates were developed with new empirical regressions for (1) quick-flow runoff data generated from a USGS-developed hydrograph separation program (PART) for 1434 gages as a function of surficial geology type (USGS), precipitation (PRISM), and soil hydraulic conductivity (STATSGO); and (2) long-term evapotranspiration from water balance estimates at 679 gages as a function of land cover (NLCD), precipitation (PRISM), and maximum, minimum, and mean daily temperature (PRISM), and a separate estimate for ET over open water. The recharge quantites close the water budget to sum to the total influx from precipitation. Irrigated water quantities reported in the 2005 USGS Water Use dataset are incorporated as effective additional precipitation. Estimates are included for both effective recharge, which reflects the quantity of water available to replenish the groundwater table, and total recharge, which also includes an estimate for the recharge quantity that was subsequently intercepted by riparian vegetation and converted to evapotranspiration. Methods are fully described in the associated accepted publication; this dataset will be updated with its complete citation when published.

Data and Resources

Field Value
accessLevel public
bureauCode {010:12}
catalog_@context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
catalog_conformsTo https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
catalog_describedBy https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
datagov_dedupe_retained 20220721183729
identifier USGS:55d37f80e4b0518e35468e50
metadata_type geospatial
modified 20200831
old-spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-125.020833333, 24.062500001], [-125.020833333, 49.8041666667], [ -66.479166669, 49.8041666667], [ -66.479166669, 24.062500001], [-125.020833333, 24.062500001]]]}
publisher U.S. Geological Survey
publisher_hierarchy Department of the Interior > U.S. Geological Survey
resource-type Dataset
source_datajson_identifier true
source_hash cabe0e4ca8eb6f1182c24d8a2aa5a3864476a0f9
source_schema_version 1.1
spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-125.020833333, 24.062500001], [-125.020833333, 49.8041666667], [ -66.479166669, 49.8041666667], [ -66.479166669, 24.062500001], [-125.020833333, 24.062500001]]]}
theme {geospatial}
Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • amerigeo
  • amerigeoss
  • ckan
  • evapotranspiration
  • geo
  • geoss
  • national
  • north-america
  • runoff
  • united-states
  • usgs-55d37f80e4b0518e35468e50
  • water-budget
  • water-cycle
  • water-resources
isopen False
license_id notspecified
license_title License not specified
maintainer Meredith Reitz
maintainer_email mreitz@usgs.gov
metadata_created 2025-11-22T04:58:49.147629
metadata_modified 2025-11-22T04:58:49.147633
notes This dataset includes 800m resolution long-term average estimates of the distribution of incoming precipitation and groundwater-sourced irrigation into contributions to the evapotranspiration (ET), quick-flow runoff, and effective recharge water budget components over the 2000-2013 time period, as well as annual estimates for the individual years. It also includes other data supporting the methods development that produced these maps, corresponding to the figures in the associated journal article. The estimates were developed with new empirical regressions for (1) quick-flow runoff data generated from a USGS-developed hydrograph separation program (PART) for 1434 gages as a function of surficial geology type (USGS), precipitation (PRISM), and soil hydraulic conductivity (STATSGO); and (2) long-term evapotranspiration from water balance estimates at 679 gages as a function of land cover (NLCD), precipitation (PRISM), and maximum, minimum, and mean daily temperature (PRISM), and a separate estimate for ET over open water. The recharge quantites close the water budget to sum to the total influx from precipitation. Irrigated water quantities reported in the 2005 USGS Water Use dataset are incorporated as effective additional precipitation. Estimates are included for both effective recharge, which reflects the quantity of water available to replenish the groundwater table, and total recharge, which also includes an estimate for the recharge quantity that was subsequently intercepted by riparian vegetation and converted to evapotranspiration. Methods are fully described in the associated accepted publication; this dataset will be updated with its complete citation when published.
num_resources 2
num_tags 14
title Average annual rates of evapotranspiration, quick-flow runoff, and recharge for the CONUS, 2000-2013