Hidden Water

Water surrounds us in ways that are often invisible, yet it is the essence of life. From the food we eat to the clothes we wear and the technology we use, water is woven into everything, often hidden but always essential. In the United States, 80% of water is used in agriculture, much of it hidden from view yet vital to sustaining our way of life.

Our project focuses on proposing a framework for calculating water footprint for crops. We start by creating a framework for almonds, one of the most water-intensive crops, particularly in California, a region grappling with severe water scarcity. We start by defining the boundary for calculation, which was narrowed down to growing, harvesting and processing, and distribution. Anything before and after this has too many variables, where a lot of assumptions would have to be made. We also wanted that this framework be implemented for all crops globally. After this, the variables we required were sourced from various data sources, where we created our own dataset with embedded calculations. We aim to create a water footprint calculator that accounts for these temporal variations, making visible the hidden water embedded in every stage—from irrigation (blue and green water) to pollutant dilution (gray water) and post-harvest processes, including cold storage and global export.

Once the framework for an almond grown in California was finalized, we started to add an Avocado grown in California, updating the variables in our dataset accordingly. Once done, we decided to see the difference between an Avocado grown in California, with one that was grown in Mexico, creating a new framework for another country.

By making these invisible dynamics visible, this tool will essentially serve as a systems of care, visualizing where most of the water is used, and identifying areas of intervention. For the consumer, it could aid in making better choices; for example we found that buying an avocado grown in Mexico in California has a lower water footprint than buying an avocado grown in California itself. We aim to create a foundational model for future water footprint calculators for other crops and eventually products.