Which of the following statements is true?

A. Most of earth's freshwater is found in lakes and rivers.
B. Almost half of the water in the U. S. is used for mining and industry.
C. There is more usable freshwater below the earth's surface than there is above it.
D. Water is called the "universal solvent" because it dissolves in most other liquids.

C. There is more usable freshwater below the earth's surface than there is above it.

Explanation:

A. Most of earth's freshwater is found in lakes and rivers.

Although lakes and river are one of the surface water that house the highest percentage of fresh water (about 0.3%) but most of the earths fresh water are not found in lakes and rivers but are found in ground water and ice caps and glaciers. This statement is definitely not true.

B. Almost half of the water in the U.S. is used for mining and industry.

According to USGS(US geological survey) most water usage in the US is for thermoelectric power and irrigation followed by public supply before the use for mining and industry comes in. The statement is wrong to say almost half of the water in the US is used for mining and industry.

C. There is more usable freshwater below the earth's surface than there is above it.

Fresh water in ground water constitute about 30.1 % fresh water found in the earth. In fact some of the fresh water found on surface water bodies like rivers migrated from ground water. Groundwater is the largest reservoir of usable fresh water. The statement is correct and it is true.

D. Water is called the "universal solvent" because it dissolves in most other liquids.

Water is regarded as a universal solvent because it dissolves more substances than any other liquid not because it dissolve in most other liquids.