| | That part of the water withdrawn that is evaporated, transpired, incorporated into products and crops, consumed by humans or livestock, or otherwise dispersed or not otherwise available and, therefore, is removed from the immediate water source. Consumptive use is generally equated to withdrawal minus return flow. However, consumptive use is not typically considered with regard to groundwater because such withdrawals are not typically returned to the source (i.e., to the aquifer from which it was withdrawn). Consumptive use also generally does not account for the time lag between withdrawal and return. |
