Water Resources of West Carroll Parish, Louisiana

Abstract

Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana, is critical for proper water-supply management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water managers, parish residents, and others for stewardship of this vital resource. In 2014, 21.27 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water were withdrawn in West Carroll Parish, including 17.91 Mgal/d from groundwater sources and 3.37 Mgal/d from surface-water sources. Withdrawals for agricultural use, composed of general irrigation, rice irrigation, and livestock, accounted for 93 percent (19.76 Mgal/d) of the total water withdrawn. Other use categories included public supply and rural domestic. Water-use data collected at 5-year intervals from 1960 to 2010 and again in 2014 indicated that water withdrawals peaked in 2000 at 31.7 Mgal/d. The large decreases in water use from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2005 to 2010 are primarily attributable to declines in groundwater withdrawals for rice irrigation from 10 Mgal/d in 1985 to 2.22 Mgal/d in 1990 and from 10.52 Mgal/d in 2005 to 5.14 Mgal/d in 2010. Surface-water withdrawals for general irrigation declined from 2.44 Mgal/d in 1985 to 0.42 Mgal/d in 1990 and from 2.2 Mgal/d in 2005 to 1.1 Mgal/d in 2010. Surface-water withdrawals for rice irrigation declined from 1.41 Mgal/d in 1985 to 0.66 Mgal/d in 1990 and from 2.06 Mgal/d in 2005 to 1.01 Mgal/d in 2010.