Updating Water Resources Thinking to
Meet Space Age Requirements
K. S. WATSON, Manager
Water Management Laboratory
Major Appliance Division
General Electric Company
Louisville, Kentucky
Industry and private citizens individually and collectively have a tremendous
stake in the nation's water resources so it is no doubt appropriate at this industrial
conference to take a quick look at this area based on where we have been and
where we are trying to go under the impetus of the space age. Since this resource
is so vital to the national welfare, progressive industry feels the same concern and
has the same desire to do a sounder job in this area as do the other interests.
The magnitude of our pyramiding national water requirement is dramatized
by estimated withdrawals of 575 bgd or water by 1980. This is one of the figures
which the alarmists in our midst have been getting great mileage from. These
alarmists never read for enough or try to understand, however, that the bulk of
these waters withdrawn are returned to the stream for subsequent reuse.
More realistic and less alarming figures indicate that the actual consumptive
use for the United States should run about 125 bgd by 1980. This figure, by the
way, represents slightly more than 10 per cent of the average stream flows available.   The consumptive use at present is estimated at about 65 bgd.
We cannot take great comfort in the low percentage of the stream flow,
represented by the consumptive use, because much of this flow is not readily
available for use, since availability of water is a function of time, place and
climate. There are many sections of the country in which the flow of water in the
streams is well below the average on which the percentage developed above is
based.
The figures have been listed to show that we do not, at present, and will not
in the near future, face a national water crisis. Nevertheless, there is no room
for complacency when the rates of population growth and industrial expansion are
considered. Sound thought must be given to the proper long range use of the nation's most valuable natural resource. Such action is indicated because water
requirements are constantly increasing but the absolute amount of surface and
ground water available for ultimate use is a comparatively fixed figure.
The space age has an abundance of challenges. Broadly speaking the space
age means more than merely launching men into space. It means the way of life
for us today and a more dynamic and exciting way of life for our children tomorrow.
We are seeing tremendous advances in technology with resulting industrial
and municipal complexes much more complicated than any which everbefore existed.
The more significant challenges then to the practitioners in the water resources fields than providing water management for man in space, which is also
important, is to permit this technological breakthrough to continue without being
hampered by limitations in the water area by:
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