---
title: Fracking or Golfing: Who Needs More Water? - Wyoming Liberty Group - Wyoming Liberty Group
description: Anti-fracking activists claim fracking threatens Wyoming water, but WyLib analysis finds these claims do not hold up against agricultural water use data.
canonical_url: https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/fracking-or-golfing-who-needs-more-water
language: en-GB
notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/fracking-or-golfing-who-needs-more-water.
markdown-tokens: 2184
---

> **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/fracking-or-golfing-who-needs-more-water. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content.
> **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above.


\[!\[Wyoming Liberty Group\](https://wyliberty.org/images/2020/06/01/wy-logo-lg-trees.png)!\[Wyoming Liberty Group\](https://wyliberty.org/images/2020/06/01/wy-logo-sm-trees.png)\](https://wyliberty.org/) \[\](#)- \[Home\](https://wyliberty.org/) - \[About\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) - \[Who We Are\](https://wyliberty.org/about/who-we-are) - \[Core Principles\](https://wyliberty.org/about/core-principles) - \[Staff &amp; Board\](https://wyliberty.org/about/staff) - \[Current Posts\](https://wyliberty.org/current-posts) - \[Topics\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) - \[Wyliberty Policy Compass\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/wyliberty-policy-compass) - \[Economic\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic) - \[Education\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/education) - \[Election Security Standards\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/election-security-standards) - \[Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) - \[Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues) - \[Government Programs\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-programs) - \[Health Care\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/health-care) - \[Keep Wyoming Strong\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/keep-wyoming-strong) - \[Legal\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/legal-perspectives) - \[Limited Government\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/limited-government) - \[Marijuana/THC\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/marijuana-thc) - \[Political\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives) - \[Property Rights\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/property-rights) - \[Regulation\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-regulation) - \[Spotlight on WyLiberty\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/spotlight-on-wyliberty) - \[Timeless Topics\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/timeless-topics) - \[Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) - \[Get Involved\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) - \[Donation/Membership\](https://wyliberty.org/get-involved/donate) - \[Newsletter\](https://mailchi.mp/3d5c211df744/newsletter-sign-up) - \[Contact \](https://wyliberty.org/contact) - \[Search\](https://wyliberty.org/search) ## Explore ### Timeless Topics <a></a> Font size: \[ &amp;plus; \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ – \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ Print \](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/fracking-or-golfing-who-needs-more-water?tmpl=component&amp;print=1&amp;format=print "Print") # Fracking or Golfing: Who Needs More Water? \[Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) \[Timeless Topics\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/timeless-topics) Wednesday, 20 August 2014 Among the many myths being spread around about fracking, the one about water consumption may be the most audacious one. Anti-fracking activists keep insisting that the process of hydraulic fracturing is threatening the water supplies in the West. This myth may grow legs in a drought-stricken state like California, but that does not mean it is true. On the contrary, a study commissioned by the \[Western Energy Alliance\](http://www.westernenergyalliance.org/sites/default/files/WesternWaterUseStudy/pdf) found that fracking in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming uses far less water than other users. The oil and gas industry in total (not just hydraulic fracturing) accounts for only 1 percent of the water consumption in these three states. Mining and power generation are larger users than the oil and gas industry, but the largest water user is – no surprise – agriculture and other irrigation activities. Wyoming water usage is tracked by river basin. The volume used for oil and natural gas development for each river basin in our state looks like this: - · Bear River Basin: 0.05% - · Green River Basin: 0.3% - · Northeast River Basin: 4.9% - · Platte River Basin: 1.2% - · Powder/Tongue River Basin: 9% - · Snake/Salt River Basin: 0% - · Wind/Bighorn River Basin: 0% Compare this to the share used for irrigation: - · Bear: 99% - · Green: 83% - · Northeast: 72% - · Platte: 93% - · Powder/Tongue: 83% - · Snake/Salt: 98% - · Wind/Bighorn: 96% This is not to say that agriculture and other irrigation is a bad thing, or that water usage in the West is not an issue. But when the environmentalist industry starts talking about hydraulic fracturing depleting our water supply, it's groundless propaganda. Myths do not become facts just because you dilute them with water. \[ \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) \[ \](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0);) Tags: \[Energy\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags/energy) \[Fracking\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags/fracking) \[ Reality vs. Socialism \](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic/reality-vs-socialism) \[ Federalization of Education \](https://wyliberty.org/blog/education/federalization-of-education) #### Related Posts ### \[WyLiberty’s 10 Interim Topics to Watch\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency/wylibertys-10-interim-topics-to-watch) \[Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) ### \[WY 2026 SF 123 - Wyoming Energy Dominance Fund\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives/wy-2026-sf-123-wyoming-energy-dominance-fund) \[Political\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives) ### \[Nuclear Development and the Future of Wyoming’s Public Lands\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/nuclear-development-and-the-future-of-wyomings-public-lands) \[Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) ### \[Who Really Pays? Taxes, Energy, and Long-Term Costs in Wyoming - Episode 103\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues/who-really-pays-taxes-energy-and-long-term-costs-in-wyoming-episode-103) \[Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues) ### \[$100 Million in Energy Matching Funds Proposed\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/100-million-in-energy-matching-funds-proposed) \[Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) ### \[What is the Trump Administration Doing for Nuclear? Moves by the White House and what it means for Wyoming\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources/what-is-the-trump-administration-doing-for-nuclear-moves-by-the-white-house-and-what-it-means-for-wyoming) \[Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) !\[logo white 002\](https://wyliberty.org/images/general\_art/logo\_white\_002.png) \*\*Wyoming Liberty Group\*\* P.O. Box 9 • Burns, WY 82053 Phone: (307) 632-7020 ##### Quick Links - \[ Legal\](https://wyliberty.org/legal-center) - \[ News Releases\](https://wyliberty.org/news-releases) - \[ Podcasts\](https://wyliberty.org/podcasts) - \[ Policy\](https://wyliberty.org/policy) - \[ Videos\](https://wyliberty.org/videos) ##### Support - \[ Blog Tags\](https://wyliberty.org/blog-tags) - \[ Contact Us\](https://white-clair-78.tiiny.site/) - \[ Newsletter\](https://mailchi.mp/3d5c211df744/newsletter-sign-up) - \[ Privacy Policy\](https://wyliberty.org/privacy-policy) - \[ Login/out\](https://wyliberty.org/login-out) Search Copyright © 2026 Wyoming Liberty Group. \[\](#)- \[ Home\](https://wyliberty.org/) - <a>About</a> - \[ Who We Are\](https://wyliberty.org/about/who-we-are) - \[ Core Principles\](https://wyliberty.org/about/core-principles) - \[ Staff &amp; Board\](https://wyliberty.org/about/staff) - \[ Current Posts\](https://wyliberty.org/current-posts) - <a>Topics</a> - \[ Wyliberty Policy Compass\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/wyliberty-policy-compass) - \[ Economic\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/economic) - \[ Education\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/education) - \[ Election Security Standards\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/election-security-standards) - \[ Energy and Resources\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/energy-and-resources) - \[ Eye on the Issues\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/eye-on-the-issues) - \[ Government Programs\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-programs) - \[ Health Care\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/health-care) - \[ Keep Wyoming Strong\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/keep-wyoming-strong) - \[ Legal\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/legal-perspectives) - \[ Limited Government\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/limited-government) - \[ Marijuana/THC\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/marijuana-thc) - \[ Political\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/political-perspectives) - \[ Property Rights\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/property-rights) - \[ Regulation\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-regulation) - \[ Spotlight on WyLiberty\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/spotlight-on-wyliberty) - \[ Timeless Topics\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/timeless-topics) - \[ Transparency\](https://wyliberty.org/blog/government-transparency) - <a>Get Involved</a> - \[ Donation/Membership\](https://wyliberty.org/get-involved/donate) - \[ Newsletter\](https://mailchi.mp/3d5c211df744/newsletter-sign-up) - \[ Contact \](https://wyliberty.org/contact) - \[ Search\](https://wyliberty.org/search) \[\](https://wyliberty.org/javascript:void(0))