Water Footprint Usefulness as a Sustainability Indicator Depends on Scale Considered

The water footprint has recently emerged as a useful concept for illustrating how global appropriation of water resources is linked to the consumption patterns of individuals or groups of individuals such as nations. The United States has been estimated to have one of the largest per capita water footprints in the world. However comparing the water footprint of sub-national units can offer insights into how patterns and outcomes change with scale. This presentation builds on the findings from a new study of California's water footprint in order to highlight the importance of scale when asking broader sustainability questions about coupled human-water resource systems.