Units & Hydrology

Acre-Foot

Reviewed • Standard Hydrology Definition • WaterLakeLevel
# Acre-Foot

A volumetric water unit representing the amount of water required to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot.


What Is an Acre-Foot of Water?



An acre-foot (symbol: ac-ft) is the standard unit of volume used in American water resource management and reservoir engineering.

Exact Measurements:


- 1 Acre-Foot = 325,851.4 U.S. gallons
- 1 Acre-Foot = 43,560 cubic feet
- 1 Acre-Foot = 1,233.5 cubic meters

Real-World Perspective



As a practical rule of thumb in US municipal hydrology, one acre-foot provides enough water to satisfy the annual indoor and outdoor water consumption of two to three typical single-family households.

Explore Other Hydrology & Boating Terms

Conservation Pool

The volume of water stored in a reservoir dedicated to beneficial uses such as drinking water, power, and recreation.

Datum

A reference surface or mathematical baseline from which vertical elevations or geographic coordinates are reckoned.

Dead Pool

The critical low-water elevation below which water cannot flow downstream through gravity outlets.

Drawdown

The deliberate or natural reduction of a lake or reservoir water surface elevation.

Evaporation Loss

The invisible volumetric loss of water from a lake surface into the atmosphere caused by heat, sun, and dry winds.

Flood Pool

The temporary storage capacity above full conservation pool designed to capture floodwaters and prevent downstream damage.

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