1. What is an Acre-Foot?

An acre-foot is a unit of volume commonly used in the United States to measure large-scale water resources. It represents the volume of water that would cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot, equivalent to 43,560 cubic feet or approximately 325,851 gallons.

2. How Does the Conversion Work?

The calculator uses the conversion formula:

Where:

• \( Acre\text{-}Feet \) — Volume in acre-feet
• \( 325,851 \) — Conversion factor (gallons per acre-foot)

Explanation: This conversion is based on the standard definition of an acre-foot and is widely used in water resource management, agriculture, and civil engineering.

3. Importance of Water Volume Measurement

Details: Accurate water volume measurement is crucial for water resource management, irrigation planning, reservoir capacity calculations, and environmental conservation efforts.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the volume in acre-feet. The value must be a positive number. The calculator will instantly convert it to gallons using the standard conversion factor.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is the acre-foot measurement important?
A: Acre-foot is a standard unit for measuring large water volumes, particularly in agriculture, water management, and reservoir capacity planning in the United States.

Q2: How many gallons are in one acre-foot exactly?
A: One acre-foot equals exactly 325,851 gallons, which is derived from the definition of an acre (43,560 square feet) multiplied by one foot depth.

Q3: What are common uses for this conversion?
A: This conversion is used by water districts, farmers, engineers, and environmental planners to quantify water resources, irrigation needs, and storage capacities.

Q4: Is this conversion used internationally?
A: While the acre-foot is primarily used in the US, the conversion helps international comparisons and understanding of water volumes in more familiar gallon measurements.

Q5: How accurate is this conversion?
A: The conversion is mathematically exact based on the standard definitions of acre-foot and gallon measurements in the US customary system.