Hydrological modeling has the potential to drastically improve water resource management in Yosemite National Park. By combining satellite-derived data, such as precipitation, temperature, land cover and elevation values, it is possible to ascertain and quantify surface water availability at any given time.
Are Florida’s mangrove ecosystems on the move? Using a combination of hyperspectral and radar imagery combined with field work, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA’s DEVELOP team partnered to track this dynamic ecosystem as it encroaches upon salt marshes in the north.
Increasing occurrences of large-scale forest fires in the Rocky Mountains have threatened forests that are vital to overall ecosystem health and human well-being. The goal of this project was to model riparian wetlands in the Cache La Poudre watershed to provide a decision-support tool for monitoring change in the watershed following the devastating High Park Fire of 2012.
The reconstruction of the Highway 98 corridor through the Big Creek Lake watershed in West Mobile is expected to introduce diverse issues that may degrade drinking water quality. The DEVELOP Mobile team used an urban growth model to predict the urbanization that will result from this highway expansion.
The Gulf of Mexico Eco Forecasting Team investigates various detection methods of Sargassum using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a long-wave sensor which offers significantly improved detection availability, and achieved a better understanding of the relationship between Bluefin Tuna and Sargassum, and the potential impact from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge has become increasingly interested in improving the hydrologic conditions of the refuge. Currently, the swamp hydrology is managed by a system of canals and water control structures that are capable of maintaining or raising the water level within the swamp. Through the use of NASA Earth Observation System (EOS), we will provide a hydrological analysis of the entire swamp, depicting areas vulnerable to drying or inundation.
The Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area is the largest wetland in the interior United States, and is a stopover for 45 percent of the birds who migrate north through the area. A land cover classification map and an estimate of suspended sediment changes will help managers to track the effectiveness of policies aimed at maintaining this critical habitat.
How bad was the worst fire in Coahuila? Can it be quantified and extrapolated to future fires? Is it even possible to know when there would be a next fire, or extinguish one if it starts today? These are a few questions addressed in this project, taking into consideration the April 2011 fire, one of the worst in the history of Mexico.
Due to civil unrest and the agriculture-based economy, Rwanda’s native forest has been reduced to 5 percent of the nation’s territory. As a result, many species have experienced habitat loss, threatening their survival. A 30-mile corridor is being proposed to connect isolated populations to interbreed and conserve biodiversity.
Nobody likes swimming in a lake in the summer around algae or having slimy aquatic plants brush up on their feet. The DEVELOP team at Marshall Space Flight Center worked to help improve methods for controlling aquatic vegetation in North Alabama. Using Landsat 7 ETM+ and vegetation indices, the team created a method to map aquatic vegetation and points of agricultural source pollution.
