![](media/image1.png){width="0.9305555555555556in"
height="0.8041666666666667in"} **DRAFT Version 4 22 Nov. 2006**

**NASA Science Mission Directorate - Applied Sciences Program**

*Water Management -- Fiscal Year 2006 Annual Report* [^1]

**[Summary]{.smallcaps}**

**[Directed Projects]{.underline}**

The successful Benchmarking conclusion of the NOAA NCEP Eta Mesoscale
Forecasting system in FY05 resulted for FY06 the transition of NASA
MODIS and Land Data Assimilation Systems / Land Information System
(LDAS/LIS) products to NCEP's research analyses with plans to implement
operationally. Directed projects with the Bureau of Reclamation and the
Environmental Protection Agency saw the further use of extending MODIS
and Land Data Assimilation Systems / Land Information System (LDAS/LIS)
products to three management decision support systems: 1) BASINS--Better
Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (U.S. EPA), 2)
RiverWare (BoR) and AWARDS--Agricultural Water Resources Decision
Support (BoR). Preparations to the EPA and Bureau of Reclamation
Projects are underway for final Benchmarking in FY07.

**[Solicited Projects]{.underline}**

Five new solicited projects were started in FY06 with plans for a sixth.

**1) "Improving Water Resources Management in the Western U.S. Through
Use of Remote Sensing Data and Seasonal Climate Forecasts"** (PI:
*Dennis Lettenmaier, University of Washington-Seattle)*

**2) "Improving NOAA/NWS River Forecast Center Decision Support with
NASA Satellite and Land Information System Products"** *(PI: Pedro
Restrepo, NOAA/NWS/OHD)*

**3) "National Drought Monitoring System for Drought Early Warning Using
Hydrologic and Ecologic Observations from NASA Satellite Data" (***PIs:
Son V. Nghiem, NASA--Jet Propulsion Laboratory and James Verdin, USGS
EROS Data Center).*

**4) "What is the Value of Integrating Best Estimates of Regional
Evapotranspiration into Hydrologic Decision Support Systems?"** (PI: Jan
Hendricks, New Mexico Tech).

**5) "Enhancing Water Management Decision Support Systems with High
Spatio-temporal Resolution Mapping of Actual Evapotranspiration"**,
*(PI: Graeme Aggett, Riverside Technology, Inc)*

**6) "Improving Flash Flood Prediction through a Synthesis of NASA
Products, NWP Models and Flash Flood Decision Support Systems"** (*PI:
Brian Cosgrove, SAIC/NASA/GSFC)*.{Planned}

**[Congressionally Directed Earmarks]{.underline}**

**1) "Intermountain Region Digital Image Archive and Processing
Center"** *(PI: Doug Ramsey, Utah State University).*

**2) "Mid-American Geospatial Information Center"** *(PI: Gordon Wells,
Univ. Texas)*.

**[Additional Activities]{.underline}**

In FY06 the Water Management successfully held its first Program
Workshop. The objective was to introduce funded investigators and the
newly formed 'Working Group' to the NASA ASP Water Management
application and to also interact with other participants sharing their
activities, results, and perspectives. This was also the first
opportunity for the Water Management Working Group to examine activities
and plans and to provide insights on directions the program should
consider.

With funding support primarily from the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA)
and additional support from the Applied Sciences Program, AFWA
successfully implemented the use of the NASA Land Information System
(LIS), led by Christa Peters-Lidard to successfully replace the AFWA
Agriculture Meteorology (AGRMET) modeling system, providing global soil
moisture and temperature analyses.

The program also supported numerous programmatic activities through
involvement in several programs including the NIDIS, GEWEX-IGWCO, and
HELP. Additional participation included Water Management technical
presentations and publications at numerous technical (AMS, AGU, and
IGARSS) and functional meetings (UCOWR, AWRA, GEWEX-CPPA, WWF, IGWCO,
and ESIP). These activities resulted in several links to new user
groups, expanded access and use of NASA data, and the reporting of
Program activities (journal publications, technical papers, and
technical presentations).

**[Projects Summary]{.smallcaps}**

**1. "NLDAS Benchmark Report for NLDAS into NOAA Weather Models"**

*Investigators: B. Cosgrove (NASA/GSFC/SAIC) and C. Alonge
(NASA/GSFC/SAIC)*

NASA Land Data Assimilation System land surface states and MODIS snow
cover data were rigorously benchmarked through comparisons in a series
of retrospective NOAA weather model (Eta Model) simulations at the
conclusion of 2005. LIS was used to generate initial states for 20
control simulations and 60 experimental simulations. The use of LDAS
initial conditions, along with use of MODIS snow cover greatly improved
surface forecasts of relative humidity and temperature (Figure 1). 2006
saw the transition of NASA MODIS and Land Data Assimilation Systems /
Land Information System (LDAS/LIS) products to NOAA NCEP's research
analyses with plans to implement operationally.

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="6.3597222222222225in"
height="4.769444444444445in"}

***Figure 1.** A successful conversion of NASA products to NOAA NCEP's
Global Forecast and Climate Forecast Systems was achieved in 2006.*

**2. "Application of NASA Satellite Products and Land Surface Models to
Improve the Hydrologic Performance of the EPA's BASINS DST"**

*Investigators: D. Toll (NASA/GSFC), E. Engman (SAIC/NASA/GSFC), Ed
Partington (EPA/OW), James Carleton (EPA/OW), G. Shenk (EPA/CBP),
Angelica Magness (USGS/CBP), J. Nigro (SSAI/NASA/GSFC), W. Ni-Meister
(Hunter College), Shih Yan Lee (Hunter College), and Phil Townsend
(Univ. Wisc.)*

The purpose of this project is to assess the potential for NASA MODIS
land products and NASA Land Information System evapotranspiration and
precipitation to improve the performance of EPA BASINS decision support
systems used for monitoring water quality, establishing Total Maximum
Daily Loads of contaminants, and identifying sources of pollution for
protecting and monitoring our nation's water supply. The strategy being
used is to focus on BASINS-HSPF, a continuous watershed model that
produces a streamflow hydrograph at specific points in a drainage basin.
If the predictive capability of HSPF is improved, the BASINS DST will
produce more accurate streamflow and thus concentrations of specific
water quality parameters. The spatially distributed precipitation
product derived from LIS should produce improved forcing when compared
to the gauge only approach currently used by EPA (Figure 2). In
addition, work is ongoing to use LIS evapotranspiration (ET) products
which should provide a spatially distributed estimate that is superior
to the current ET models used in HSPF.

A "Verification and Validation Meeting" with NASA/GSFC, EPA, Univ.
Wisconsin and Hunter College in June 2006, Greenbelt, MD demonstrated
the use of NASA LIS ET and precipitation products for improved stream
flow and the use of MODIS land cover and vegetation products for
improved nutrient load monitoring. Discussions were also included for
completing Benchmark reporting in FY07. GSFC and Hunter College are
systematically evaluating BASINS-HSPF flow over 7-watersheds in the
Chesapeake Bay Basin of NASA products over various flows time periods
(i.e., peak flow events, low flow, and monthly). Work to date by the
University of Wisconsin has shown both Landsat and MODIS data were
effectively used to model the export of nitrogen deposition in the
watershed from the intensity of defoliation via environmental
disturbances (Figure 3).

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

***Figure 2**. Current EPA and state usage of in situ precipitation
stage data alone shows difficulties when computing flow for water
quality (upper right). NASA LIS provided precipitation (above) and
evapotranspiration have shown improved flow and hence water quality
concentrations for many rainfall events.*

Hunter College and Univ. Wisconsin submitted unsolicited proposals to HQ
to assist GSFC with conclusion of Benchmark reporting plans specifically
to evaluate: 1) LIS ET; 2) MODIS vegetation/seasonal property products;
and 3) implementing the Parameter Estimation (PEST) for objective
parameterization of parameters and the benchmarking of the NASA
Products. Links were also made to Chuck O'Hara of Mississippi State
University to extend Chesapeake Bay results to their Mississippi
Research Consortium (MRC) Rapid Prototyping Capacity (RPC) for the
Jordan River Catchment in southern Mississippi.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="6.489583333333333in"
height="4.784722222222222in"}

***Figure 3.** MODIS data has been successfully demonstrated to identify
gypsy moth defoliation with links to nitrate depositions adversely
affecting water quality.*

**3. NASA Products for Improving Reclamation RiverWare and AWARDS ET
Tool Box DSTs for Water Availability and Forecasting**

***Investigators.** Kristi Arsenault (UMBC/GEST/NASA/GSFC), David Toll
(NASA/GSFC), Edwin. T. Engman (NASA/GSFC/SAIC), Bowser (BoR), R. Stodt
(BoR/TSC), S. Hunter (BoR), A. Brower, and A. Pinheiro (ORAU/NASA/GSFC)*

The purpose of this project is to study and apply NASA Land Information
System (LIS) modeling and information with MODIS, and AMSR-E satellite
products to improve the performance of Bureau of Reclamation RiverWare
and AWARDS ET Tool Box DSTs used in water availability and forecasting
for reservoir management and related water management in the western US.
Selected LIS water soil moisture, snow and ET products and satellite
MODIS snow cover, ET and land cover products are the primary focus for
inclusion in Reclamation's DSTs. Both retrospective studies and near
real-time simulations are being evaluated and made available to
investigate where monitoring and forecasting of water supply and extreme
events, like flooding, may be enhanced. Areas of study for these
projects are primarily the Yakima and the Middle Rio Grande River
Basins.

[Middle Rio Grande -- AWARDS ET Toolbox]{.underline}

Preliminary comparisons by NASA/GSFC of LIS Noah and CLM-2 land surface
models were made with eddy covariance site stations (Cleverly and NASA
station data) in the Middle Upper Rio River Basin area with a consistent
under estimation of evapotranspiration estimates. Current work is
towards evaluation of model forcing, model inputs and model physics
(Figure 4). Work by Univ. of Idaho (R. Allen) has shown calculation of
MODIS-METRIC ET compared well with Landsat-METRIC ET derived estimates
(Figure 5). An unsolicited proposal by Univ. of Idaho was submitted to
HQ to complete benchmarking activities with NASA/GSFC in support of
AWARDS ET-Toolbox.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="6.129861111111111in"
height="4.597222222222222in"}

***Figure 4.** LIS multimodel ET in to AWARDS ET-Toolbox decision
support tool.*

ORAU/NASA/GSFC (A. Pinheiro) is assimilating MODIS Land Surface
Temperature fields versus LIS/CLM LST at 1 km focusing on the
parameterization of the emissivity fields and the lack of spatial
heterogeneity (vegetation versus bare) on LIS 1 km pixels. She is also
evaluating LIS/CLM temperature, radiation, and sensible heat and latent
heat fields against in situ data. Additional work is towards evaluating
ET to soil and sensible fluxes and soil moisture.

Princeton Univ. (E. Wood) was contacted for intercomparison of ET
products (SEBI-SEBS MODIS) with METRIC and LIS Land Surface Model ET
values.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

***Figure 6.** University of Idaho helped develop MODIS derived ET using
a "METRIC" approach to successfully update Reclamation water loss
estimates using ET Tool Box. Usage of the NASA satellite based approach
removes the need for Reclamation to provide costly land cover updates.*

[Yakima Basin - RiverWare]{.underline}

NASA LIS multi-model Land Surface Modeling (Noah and CLM) results using
MODIS products for input (land cover) and constraint (snow cover) with
NOAA "SNODAS" products are being compared to conventional approaches for
short-term (2 days) reservoir management using RiverWare (Figure 5). The
baseline approach uses NOAA station observations with MMS model
simulations for the Yakima basin to provide two day streamflow
predictions. A sensitivity analysis was completed showing the importance
of elevation changes to LIS LSM snowpack estimates. Currently we are
attempting to improve the spatial registration of the registered spatial
parameter and snowpack maps and to constrain the LIS Land Surface Models
using MODIS Snow Cover for improved spatial maps of snow water
equivalent and snowmelt estimates. Specifically, work is underway to
assimilate MODIS snow cover into the LIS LSMs (i.e., CLM2 and Noah
2.7.1) for potentially improved spatial maps of snow water equivalent
and snowmelt estimates. Plans are being made to produce a Benchmark
report with Bureau of Reclamation in FY07 with an emphasis on hindcast
analyses for 10 streamflow in the Yakima Basin. Emphasis will be placed
for the stations without reservoir regulation.

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

***Figure 7.** NASA LIS multi-model water availability using MODIS snow
products are being evaluated with Bureau of Reclamation personnel to
improve the reservoir regulation DST, RiverWare for the Yakima basin.*

**4.** **National Drought Monitoring System for Drought Early Warning
Using Hydrologic and Ecologic Observations from NASA Satellite Data**

***Investigators:** S. V. Nghiem (JPL, PI), J. P. Verdin (USGS, Lead
Co-I), D. A. Wilhite (National Drought Mitigation Center or NDMC), R.
Dole (NOAA Physical Science Division), D. LeComte (NOAA Climate
Prediction Center), G. R. Brakenridge (Dartmouth College), E. G. Njoku
(JPL)*

This projects aims to improve the US Drought Monitor (USDM) using NASA
products. The USDM is a state-of-the-art drought monitoring system and
decision support tool that has been developed and is currently
operational at the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC). USDM
involves multi-institution partners: University of Nebraska NDMC,
USDA/NOAA Joint Agricultural Weather Facility, and NOAA's Climate
Prediction Center (CPC) and National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The
National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) plans to use USDM
as an integral part of its activities. Many other organizations also
play a key role in support of the USDM tool (e.g., NOAA-CIRES CDC
\[recently renamed NOAA Physical Science Division\], USGS, USDA National
Water and Climate). This project recently received funding to start the
project in June 2006 with current work towards disseminating funds to
co-investigators.

The project started with the modification of QSCAT Land Surface Water
Processor to ingest newly reprocessed QuikSCAT data for drought
monitoring. The NASA Scatterometer Project decided to reprocess the
entire QuikSCAT dataset collected. NASA soil moisture data measured by
the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System
(AMSR-E) have been undergoing validation campaigns to evaluate accuracy
and it is expected that this data will provide a better representation
of true soil moisture over much of the U.S.. Because of the different
vegetation cover conditions, we expect AMSR-E results to work better
over the western U.S. than the eastern U.S. The AMSR-E soil moisture
algorithm, implementation, and the validation program have been
published.

Soil moisture is currently obtained from the AMSR-E radiometers on the
NASA EOS Aqua satellite. AMSR-E collects passive microwave data over the
globe allowing production of a global dataset of soil moisture in
regions of low vegetation cover. The gridded Level-3 land surface
product (AE_Land3) includes daily measurements of surface soil moisture.
These measurements are derived from the sensitivity of the microwave
surface emissivity to the moisture content of the top few centimeters of
soil. Figure 8 shows AMSR-E monthly averaged soil moisture.

![](media/image8.wmf){width="5.874305555555556in"
height="2.5118055555555556in"}

![](media/image9.wmf){width="6.490277777777778in"
height="0.7048611111111112in"}

***Figure 8**. AMSR-E monthly averaged soil moisture (volumetric %) for
August 2002 showing dry conditions over western U.S..*

QuikSCAT satellite (QSCAT) to map land surface water from precipitation.
Results to date shows that QSCAT can consistently measure the increase
in surface soil moisture due to precipitation on land surfaces while
point measurements at the Lonoke Station in Arkansas may not fully
represent the areal precipitation. The QSCAT signature also shows the
gradual decrease after each rain event, corresponding to and thus
quantifying the drying time period. Furthermore, the seasonal averaged
QSCAT trend represents the seasonal ecosystem dynamics and the seasonal
averaged radiometer data represent seasonal soil moisture. The
capability of QSCAT to measure transient responses to precipitation on
the land surface and thus detect drought conditions over the entire
CONUS allows a direct application to improve the USDM. QSCAT products
for surface water distribution and the precipitation occurrence
frequency are currently produced daily at JPL with a typical delay of
only 1 day. Figure 4 shows daily QSCAT maps of large scale precipitation
water distributions in October 2004 that mostly erased the abnormally
dry and moderate drought conditions in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas,
Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Work to the USGS (J. Verdin PI) for MODIS derived Vegetation Indices and
MODIS Surface Water Status has not yet started due to funding delays.
JPL has successfully processed and sent a one-year subcontract from JPL
to USGS including the portion for NDMC. This subcontract covers only
year-1 work for both USGS and NDMC. USGS project staff in 2006
participated in the Drought Challenge Workshop held in Santa Fe, New
Mexico and the Drought/NIDIS Meetings in Longmont, Colorado.

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="6.498611111111111in"
height="5.322916666666667in"}

***Figure 8.** Left panels are QSCAT daily maps of surface water
increase due to precipitation, and right panels are USDM weekly drought
maps showing changes in drought conditions.*

**5. "Improving NOAA/NWS River Forecast Center Decision Support with
NASA Satellite and Land Information System Products"**

***Investigators**: P. Restrepo (NOAA/NWS/OHD), A. Limaye (MSFC GHCC)
Christa Peters-Lidard (NASA GSFC), C. Laymon (MSFC/USRA/GHCC), W.
Crosson (MSFC/USRA/GHCC), M. Estes (MSFC/USRA/GHCC), Z. Al-Hamden
(MSFC/USRA/GHCC), D.L. Rickman (NASA/MSFC), F. Cosgrove
(SAIC/NASA/GSFC), M. Garcia (UMC/GEST/NASA/GSFC), V. Koren
(NOAA/NWS/OHD), D.J. Seo (UCAR/NOAA/NWS/OHD), M. Smith (NOAA/NWS/OHD),
D. Toll (NASA/GSFC), and P. Houser (GMU/IGES/CREW)*

The overarching goal of the proposed work is the demonstration of
improved accuracy in runoff, flow, flood and snow monitoring and
simulation from the combination of NASA MODIS and AMSR-E satellite date
and NASA LIS modeling information and infrastructure with operational
NWSRFS decision support tools (Figure 9). The proposed work will be
conducted in 3-phases. Phase 1, NASA/MSFC and NOAA/NWS/OHD researchers
will use MODIS cloud cover products to improve potential evaporation
estimates. Phase 2 will leverage ongoing NOAA and NASA/GSFC
collaboration for integration of NASA LIS and NWSRFS components. Phase 3
of the proposed project will involve an evaluation study of NASA snow
cover, SWE and soil moisture in to an integrated LIS-RFS system.

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

***Figure 9.** NASA MODIS and AMSR-E satellite and the multimodel Land
Information System (water availability) data ingested in to NOAA/NWS
river forecasting service decision support tools.*

As a part of Phase 1, the MSFC team is evaluating the National Weather
Service River Forecast System (NWSRFS) hydrologic modeling input data
requirements. A preliminary procedure has been developed to merge ASOS
ceilometer data with MODIS cloud mask product to produce a cloud cover
fraction needed for the NWSRFS potential evaporation component. The
project team is engaged in a dialogue with the NOAA Office of Hydrologic
Development (OHD) scientists to define the study domain for Phase 1. OHD
has an ongoing watershed modeling and calibration effort in 23 Texas
watersheds, and has expressed a preference to cover as many as those
watersheds as possible. They also plan to include at least one of the
Oklahoma NRCS Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) sites to compare the
ASOS-MODIS radiation with the observed data. A balance has been met to
include some of the Texas watersheds as well as the Little Washita
watershed in Oklahoma. The temporal domain has been defined as
2001-2005, which coincides with a portion of the OHD modeling effort for
Texas watersheds that span 1997-2005. USRA executed a subcontract to
George Mason University for Dr. Paul Houser's involvement with the data
assimilation management of the project.

Although NOAA OHD received NASA funding authority from NASA HQ, delays
due to NOAA legal still has not resulted in OHD's access to the funding.
NASA/GSFC is currently making preparations for implementation of
Sacramento Land Surface Model in to LIS. In addition, ensemble Kalman
filter implementation for the ET Tool Box continues. The work for FY06
has emphasized Phase 1 activities by the MSFC.

**6. "Improving Water Resources Management in the Western U.S. through
use of Remote Sensing Data and Seasonal Climate Forecasts"**

***Investigators**: Dennis Lettenmaier (PI, U. Washington), S.
Soorooshian (U. Cal. Irvine), A. Wood (U. Washington), A. Steinmann (U.
Washington), B. Imam (U. Cal. Irvine)*

The purpose of this project is to assess the potential for MODIS and
AMSR-E satellite data with NASA GMAO forecasts to improve the
performance of USDA NRCS and Bureau of Reclamation RiverWare water
supply forecast decision support tools to provide improved predictions
of snowmelt runoff processes for reservoir and other water management
decisions. Figure 10 shows the Western US Seasonal Hydrologic Forecast
System. The emphasis is to further use NASA remote sensing data and
hydrologic and climate prediction modeling in a partnership with three
operational water management agencies -- 1) the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service, which provides seasonal streamflow forecasts over
most of the west; 2) the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which has decision
authority within the Klamath River basin (where there have been ongoing
and highly publicized conflicts over water allocation); and 3) the
California Department of Water Resources, which has decision authority
for much of the Sacramento River basin. NASA research results of two
types will be used in this research. The first are EOS remote sensing
data products of several types, including MODIS snow cover extent,
evapotranspiration (from which crop water use will be estimated),
reservoir surface temperature (a key variable for estimation of
reservoir evaporation), and AMSR-E snow water equivalent. A second
category will be NASA experimental seasonal climate forecasts produced
by the GMAO model, which are already utilized in the UW west wide
seasonal hydrologic forecast system. The primary outcome will be
improved predictions of snowmelt runoff for reservoir and other water
management decisions. Figure 11 shows a spatial map range of hydrologic
predictions.

We have begun work to implement VIC at higher resolution (1/16 degree
lat-long) for Washington, Oregon and California, which contain the
target Klamath and Sacramento River basins. In addition, we have altered
the forecast implementation to facilitate daily snowcasts, which will
support more frequent forecast updates than are possible with the
present West-wide system. Finally, forecast system capabilities have
been enhanced with new snowcast diagnostic analyses, which are intended
for eventual use in the target basins. We are in the process of
performing retrospective evaluations of forecast system performance in
the Feather River basin as part of a joint forecast error evaluation
with NWS which will aid in further enhancements to the system. At
present, the model forcing (and updating) data sets are the same as we
are using in our Westwide Forecast System, however we expect to augment
these with additional DWR and other data.

![](media/image12.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

***Figure 10.** The University of Washington Forecasting System is being
extended to use NASA seasonal predictions and MODIS and AMSR-E satellite
data to extend hydrologic predictions to USDA NRCS and Bureau of
Reclamation decision support tools.*

We have conducted preliminary hindcasts (retrospective forecasts) of
summer period runoff (April-July) in the Feather R. basin for
establishing baseline forecast skill levels (show hindcast results).
Results show 56 years of hindcasts initiated on the primary streamflow
forecast dates used for operational purposes: Jan 1, Feb 1, Mar 1, Apr
1, May 1, and Jun 1. The hindcasts show adequate correlations with
observations, but the uncertainty bounds provided by the ESP forecast
technique (which is a baseline approach used operationally in the NWS)
are erroneously narrow (suggesting forecast overconfidence). As a
result, we have also explored a forecast calibration approach that
corrects for forecast uncertainty errors, based on using the ESP mean as
a single value forecast and formulating the uncertainty from both
forecast correlation and climatological information. A simplified
approach to hydrologic ensemble prediction has been developed and will
be submitted to the Journal of Hydrometeorology. The resulting forecast
error distributions match those observed during the 56 year hindcast
evaluation period. This technique is likely to become a central part of
the forecasts transferred in this project.

![](media/image13.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

***Figure 11.** Seasonal forecast hydrologic predictions of
precipitation, temperature, snow water equivalent, runoff and soil
moisture for the western US.*

**7. "What is the Value of Integrating Best Estimates of Regional
Evapotranspiration into Hydrologic Decision Support Systems?**

***Investigators**: PI, Ian Hendrickx, New Mexico Tech University.*

The purpose of this project is to assess the potential for MODIS,
Landsat, and VIIRS NPP to improve the performance of BoR AWARDS/ET
Toolbox and USACE GSSHA used in predicting regional evapotranspiration
and river flow to support crop performance, famine prediction, and
irrigation system performance. The project seeks to incorporate Landsat,
MODIS, NPP, and NPOESS data into two different implementations of the
Surface Energy Balance Algorithms for Land (SEBAL). SEBALNM is an
adaptation developed at New Mexico Tech and the University of Idaho
developed the algorithm Mapping Evapotranspiration at High Resolution
with Internal Calibration (METRICTM). The US Bureau of Reclamation (BoR)
developed the Agricultural Water Resources Decision Support (AWARDS)/ET
Toolbox and the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) developed the Gridded
Surface/Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA) model to monitor and
improve predictions of regional evapotranspiration and river flows. The
project seeks to improve BoR's maps showing evapotranspiration of
irrigated fields and rangelands to aid in the monitoring of crop
performance, to visualize the effects of droughts for famine prediction,
to evaluate the performance of irrigation systems, and to improve
weather predictions. Funding for this project was received in August
2006 and work is now commencing.

**8. "Enhancing Water Management Decision Support Systems with High
Spatio-temporal Resolution Mapping of Actual Evapotranspiration"**

***Investigators**: PI Graeme Aggett, Riverside Technology, Inc.*

The purpose of this project is to assess the potential for MODIS,
Landsat, and ASTER to improve the performance of RiverWare and SPDSS
used in estimating weekly-seasonal evapotranspiration to improve
management of scarce water supplies. The Northern Colorado Water
Conservation District (NCWCD) and Bureau of Reclamation utilize
RiverWare and the South Platte Decision Support System (SPDSS) to
estimate real-time evapotranspiration (ET) demand. This project
incorporates thermal data from MODIS, ASTER, and Landsat sensors into
SPDSS and RiverWare to improve weekly, monthly, and seasonal ET
estimates. The NCWCD and the Bureau of Reclamation can use the improved
estimates to manage scarce water supplies more efficiently through use
of comprehensive real-time information and prediction tools. Funding for
this project was received in August 2006 and work is now commencing.
Various members of the project team have received training in advanced
METRIC image processing, conducted during the summer of 2006 at NCWCD by
University of Idaho. NCWCD and Riverside Technology inc. are currently
working on benchmarking strategies for SPDSS ET inputs (traditional ET
estimates versus NASA sensor based estimates).

**9.** **"Improving Flash Flood Prediction through a Synthesis of NASA
Products, NWP Models and Flash Flood Decision Support Systems"**

***Investigators**: PI Brian Cosgrove (NASA/GSFC/SAIC).*

The purpose of the project is to integrate existing cross-discipline
NASA, NOAA, and USGS data sets (AMSR and MODIS instruments for soil
moisture, land cover characteristics and surface temperature, SRTM for
topography, and GOES for surface temperature), models (Noah LSM in LIS,
the WRF model, USGS PRMS model, and OHD Sacramento and routing models),
and the USGS MMS DSS to create a prototype flash flood forecast system
which will help explore the interaction between the land surface,
precipitation events, and flash floods, and increase forecast lead time
and public safety. This project has not yet been awarded. Expected
activities/products/results in the first year of the project, it is
expected that baseline Noah LSM runs will be executed, and all necessary
validation, parameter, and forcing data will be collected.  A portion of
the required WRF model runs will also be executed to provide the
necessary precipitation forcing for flash flood forecasts.

**10. Linked "NASA-AFWA Global Soil Moisture and Temperature Project"**

***Investigators:** PIs John Eylander (AFWA) and Christa Peters-Lidard
(NASA-GSFC)*

Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) successfully implemented the use of the
NASA Land Information System (LIS) with plans to replace their
Agriculture Meteorology (AGRMET) providing initial land surface soil
moistures, temperatures, and snowpack properties to improve AFWA's
operational WRF weather forecasts for military operations. Funding for
this project primarily came directly from Air Force Weather Agency
(AFWA) to NASA/GSFC with supplemental support provided by NASA ASP. This
work builds on previous work with AFWA that resulted in a customized
version of NASA-LIS which is being transitioned into operations to
replace their global soil moisture monitoring system, known as "AGRMET
". Figure 12 illustrates the advantage to AFWA global soil moisture
using the finer spatial resolution afforded by LIS as seen by 1 km soil
moisture for Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan. NASA's LIS higher
resolution soil moisture and temperature analysis would benefit DoD
Decision Support Systems, including Army mobility software and the
Target Acquisition Weapons Software (TAWS) -- Night Vision Goggle
Operational Weather Software (NOWS).

![](media/image14.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="3.375in"}

***Figure 12.** LIS derived 1 km soil moisture covering Afghanistan and
portions of Pakistan showing significant improvements over AFWA soil
moisture products.*

**11. Two New (Decisions '05) Water Related "Solutions Network" Projects
under the ASP Cross-Cutting Program**

1\) "The NASA Water Cycle Solutions Network, WaterNet", PI, Paul Houser,
GMU/IGES/CREW, Inc. Figure 13 shows the link between NASA water science
and technology with the water cycle user community.

![](media/image15.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.289583333333334in"}

***Figure 13.** The NASA Water Cycle Solutions Network (WaterNet) will
help bridge the gap between NASA water cycle research and water
resources applications.*

2\) "North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development
Evolving a Solutions Network of Resource Conservation and Development
Councils, Watershed Management Teams, and NASA Research Institutions
Across the Nation". PI Mike Doherty, North Olympic Peninsula Resource
Conservation and Development.

**12) Congressional Earmark "Intermountain Region Digital Image Archive
and Processing Center"**

***PI**: Doug Ramsey, Utah State University).*

The goal of the Intermountain Region Digital Image Archive Center
(IRDIAC) is to assist research, land management and educational
institutions with the development of tools and decision support systems
for natural resource management using remote sensing
([[http://earth.gis.usu.edu/]{.underline}](http://earth.gis.usu.edu/)).
A major function of the project is to stores, processes, and
disseminates, through the Internet, remotely sensed information to state
and federal collaborators and the public within the Intermountain
Region. Information delivery is focused on the integration with natural
resource monitoring programs and decision support systems to aid
managers, scientists, and policy makers identify landscape change,
determine causative factors, and develop management strategies. The
focus of our research addresses 5 of the [12 NASA national priority
application
areas](http://science.hq.nasa.gov/earth-sun/applications/index.html#Priority),
namely Agricultural Efficiency, Carbon Management, Ecological
Forecasting, Invasive Species, and Water Management.

The Intermountain Regional Digital Image Archive Center has developed
two new web-based geospatial tool. The Agricultural Research Station
(ARS) Data Extraction Tool
([[http://earth3.jql.usu.edu/ars/]{.underline}](http://earth3.jql.usu.edu/ars/))
provides a web-based GIS interface used to extract geographic
information from user-provided geographic locations. Extraction
capabilities currently are available for the contiguous 48 states, and
extraction data. The Virtual Utah!
([[http://earth.gis.usu.edu/utah/]{.underline}](http://earth.gis.usu.edu/utah/))
is a new web-based GIS environment tool that provides users with a suite
of high resolution (Digital Orthophotos) and medium resolution (Landsat
imagery) for the state of Utah. Users can examine this extensive dataset
using pan and zoom operations. An exciting aspect of this webpage is the
ability to view multi-temporal high resolution digital orthophoto
images. This capability provides a "view" of changes in the developed
landscape over time, and is valuable to land-use planners, government
agencies and the public.

1.  Also for 2006 IRDAC expanded its image holdings and saw large
    increases in its usage statistics. IRDIAC currently supplies 244
    Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) images as well as 330
    Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
    (ASTER) images covering the Intermountain West. IRDIAC sponsored six
    competitive student research grants. Several recent publications,
    presentations and awards were supported by IRDIAC.

**13) "Mid-American Geospatial Information Center"** *(PI Gordon Wells,
Univ. Texas)* {Earmark}

NO INPUTS PROVIDED

**[Additional Accomplishments]{.smallcaps}**

***NASA Water Management Workshop***

The first NASA Water Management Workshop was held in June 2006 in
Adelphi, Maryland. The workshop purpose was to introduce all funded
investigators and members of the Water Management Program Working Group
concerning the current state and future of the NASA Water Management
Program. This also permitted the exchange of ideas and plans. This was
also the first opportunity of the newly formed Water Management Working
Group to examine activities and plans and to provide insights on
directions the program should consider. A focus of the workshop
discussion period was to discuss future directions of the Water
Management Program Plan towards FY07-FY11. There was an indication for a
need to modify the current plan from a NASA-oriented perspective to more
of an *Applications* perspective. There was a wide range of specific
recommendations, including better describing the Water Management
Vision, the work being done in a concise but relevant manner and where
NASA plans to head towards fulfilling its plan. Additionally, the
discussion period included the topics of "What is the One Thing Missing
from the Plan", "Communication between NASA and Other Groups", and "Who
is Our Audience". The second day comprised a meeting of the Water
Management Working Group team with members from the NASA Water
Management team. The purpose of the Working Group is to a) discuss
trends, directions, and priorities within the water management
community, b) discuss opportunities to integrate Earth science products
in water management decision making, and c) provide insights and
recommendations on priorities and directions to the NASA Water
Management program. In particular the group is providing expertise as it
pertains to the [user side]{.underline} of the Integrated System
Solutions diagram. The group helped to provide a framework for revising
the Water Management Plan to more of an applications functional
perspective. The group is also helping to identify gaps and set
priorities. All of the workshop presentations are available (see
<ftp://hsbserv.gsfc.nasa.gov/Dtoll/WATER/>).

***North American Coordination to UNESCO-WMO Hydrology for the
Environment, Life, and Policy (HELP)***

Ted Engman provided coordination to the North America Region to HELP
(Hydrology for the Environment, Life, and Policy Program). The United
Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO's)
and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) established HELP in 1999
to bring water managers, decision makers, stakeholders, scientists, and
academicians together to determine needs and find solutions to water
management issues through a "bottom-up" approach. Ted Engman helped
coordinate a session to the World Water Forum in Mexico City. HELP is
currently discussing activities for a basins study, including "twinning
activities" in both North and South America. Periodic teleconferences
with the HELP basins members are held to learn of recent activities and
to exchange information.

**GEWEX Integrated Global Water Cycle Observations (IGWCO) Capacity
Building**

We supported three IGWCO Capacity Building Workshops in Buenos Aires
(Nov. 2005), Paris (March 2006), and Buenos Aires (Nov. 2006). IGWCO
directly supports and is aligned with GEO and GEOS efforts. IGWCO
includes capacity building for Africa, Latin America and Asia. Our
primary emphasis has been to provide NASA support to the Latin American
efforts. ESA and JAXA have had lead roles for Africa and Asia,
respectively.

**Advisory Committee on Water Information's Subcommittee on Hydrology
(ACWI-SOH)**

NASA solicited and received membership to the U.S. inter-agency
\"Advisory Committee on Water Information\'s (ACWI\'s)" Subcommittee on
Hydrology (SOH). ACWI-SOH is part of the Water Information Coordination
Program (WICP), where-ACWI was mandated by an OMB Memorandum. SOH
considers all aspects of surface water availability with the objective
to improve the information needed for hazard mitigation, environmental
protection, and water management.

**NASA -- Bureau of Reclamation Cooperation in Water Management MOU**

NASA and the Bureau of Reclamation developed a draft Memorandum of
Understanding for "Cooperation in Water Management". A draft is
currently in review at both Reclamation and NASA.

**National Integration Drought Information System (NIDIS)**

Brian Cosgrove (GSFC), Siegfried Schubert (GSFC), Son Nghiem (JPL) and
James Verdin (USGS, NASA funded PI) provided NASA representation to two
NIDIS (National Integrated Data Information System) meetings (Longmont,
CO and Lincoln, NE) and are contributing to the "NIDIS Implementation
Plan". Manfred Owe (GSFC) was designated the NASA point of contact to
NIDIS.

**Water Management and Mississippi State Research Consortium -- Rapid
Prototyping Capability.**

Christa Peters-Lidard and David Toll developed plans with Valentine
Anantharaj and Chuck O'Hara of Mississippi Research Consortium (MRC)
about Rapid Prototyping Capability projects using LIS water availability
and NASA remote sensing products to 1) enhance the USDA NRCS 'SCAN' soil
moisture data; 2) improve modeling of St Louis Bay watershed water
quality, and also the upland to coastal water quality; and 3) improve
South American agriculture efficiency and water availability for the
Cordova basin.

**Department of State**

Ted Engman met with Bob Senseney at the Department of State to discuss
modifications needed for the Groundwater Management proposal for Morocco
(cooperating with the USGS) to be submitted to USAID for possible
funding. Ted Engman also is helping to coordinate with Bob Senseney
(State Department) a Disaster Mitigation workshop for the Maghreb
countries of North Africa along with NOAA and USGS personnel. This
proposed workshop would be a contribution to State's Science and
Technology Exchange program. This is being coordinated through Dr Shahid
Habib's office.

**South American CPTEC Weather Model Improvement**

A NASA/GSFC/ORAU Post-Doc, Luis Gustavo de Goncalves is working with
David Toll to use NASA LIS modeling and satellite products to improve
South American weather forecasting skill. Application successfully
demonstrated the use of NASA products. Work is under way with CPTEC to
further use NASA technology in their operational framework. De Goncalves
and D. Toll have three related journal papers in press.

**Tribal Community College Summer Project**

Ted Engman and David Toll mentored two students and a faculty member
from the Little Priest College to summarize the various global remote
sensing data sets to Water Management for potential use by WMO.

**Idaho State University Earmarks**

We are assisting the Applied Sciences Program, Agriculture Efficiency by
being Technical Monitor and providing Grant assistance support to two
Idaho State University Earmarks, "Forecasting Rangeland Condition with
GIS in Southeastern Idaho" and "Comparing Effects of Management
Practices on Rangeland Health with Geospatial Technologies".

**[FY06 Publications and Conference/Workshop Presentations and
Posters]{.smallcaps}**

Boyle, D., J. Huntington, D. Toll, K. Arsenault, S. Bowser, D. Frevert,
R. Stodt, D. Clark, and A. Pinheiro, 2006. Improving US Bureau of
Reclamation Water Supply, Demand Monitoring and Forecasting Using NASA
Earth Data Products for the Carson and Truckee River Basins, American
Meteorology Society 86th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, 29 Jan. --
Feb. 2, Technical Presentation.

Friedl, L., J. Entin, Toll, D., and E. T. Engman, 2006, Opportunities
for the Water Resources Community in NASA's Applications Program,
American Water Resources Association, Summer Specialty Conference
Adaptive Management of Water Resources Missoula, Montana - June 26 --
28, Poster Presentation.

de Goncalves, G.G., W. Shuttleworth, D. Toll, Y. Xue, and C. S. Chan,
2006, Impact of differential initial soil moisture fields on ETA Model
Weather, *in press, J. Geophys. Res.*

de Goncalves, G.G., W. Shuttleworth, B. Nijssen, E. Burke, J. Marengo,
C.S. Chan, P. Houser, and D. Toll, 2006. Evaluation of Model-Derived and
Remotely Sensed Precipitation Products for Continental South America,
*in press*, *J. Geophys. Res.,* .

de Goncalves, G.G., E. Burke, W. Shuttleworth, P. Houser, D. Toll, M.
Rodell and K. Arsenault, 2006Towards a South American Land Data
Assimilation System (SALDAS): Aspects of Land Surface Model Spin-Up
Using the Simplified Simple Biosphere (SSIB), *in press*, *J. Geophys.
Res.*

Huntington, J., D. Boyle, G. Lamorey, S. Bassett, and Toll, D., 2005.
Toward Improving Streamflow Simulation in the Truckee River Basin Using
MODIS Fractional Snow Cover Information. Poster for December AGU Fall
Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Kumar, S. V., C. D. Peters-Lidard, Y. Tian, J. Geiger, P. R. Houser, S.
Olden, L. Lighty, J. L. Eastman, P. Dirmeyer, B. Doty, J. Adams, E. Wood
and J. Sheffield, 2006: LIS---An interoperable framework for high
resolution land surface modeling. *Environmental Modeling and Software*,
*in press*, (available on-line at
[http://lis.gsfc.nasa.gov](http://lis.gsfc.nasa.gov/)).

Nghiem, S. V. "Drought Monitoring with NASA Satellite Data," *National
Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Implementation Plan*,
Longmont, Colorado, Sept., 2006.

Toll, David L., E. Engman, J. Nigro, , J. Triggs, W. Ni-Meister, P.
Townsend, E. Partington, J. Carleton, G. Shenk, 2006. "EPA BASINS
Decision Support Tool", NASA- Evaluation Report, NASA/Goddard Space
Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (submitted).

Toll, D., K. Arsenault, C. Peters-Lidard, P. Houser, S. Kumar, E.
Engman, J. Nigro, and J. Triggs, NASA LIS Water Availability to Support
Reclamation ET Estimation, 2005, US Bureau of Reclamation
Evapotranspiration Workshop, Fort Collins, CO (March), Technical Paper,
6pp.

Toll, D., Luis Gustavo Goncalves, Christa Peters-Lidard, Matthew Rodell,
Paul Houser, Jared Entin and Kristi Arsenault, 2005. NASA Earth Science
for Water Management, Capacity Building in Latin America, Earth
Observations in the Service of Water Management Workshop, Integrated
Global Water Cycle Observations (IGWCO) and National Commission on Space
Activities of Argentina (CONAE), (October) Technical Presentation.

Toll, D., M. Montrose, E. Engman, J. Triggs, K. Arsenault, 2006. NASA
Water Management Program, Federation of Earth Science Information
Partners (ESIP) 16th Federation Meeting, Washington, DC. Water
Management Session, Technical Presentation, 4-5 January.

Toll, D., J. Dong, P. Houser, K. Arsenault and B. Cosgrove, 2006. Land
Surface Water and Energy Flux Evaluation from the North American
Regional Reanalysis (NARR) and Land Data Assimilation Systems (LDAS) for
Water Resources Applications, American Geophysical Union 2006 Spring
Meeting, Baltimore, MD, May, Poster Presentation.

Toll, D., Improving Water Management Decision Support Tools Using NASA
Satellite and Modeling Data, American Geophysical Union 2006 Spring
Meeting, Baltimore, MD, May, Poster Presentation.

Toll, D., L. Friedl, E. Engman, K. Arsenault, and J. Nigro 2006.
Opportunities for the Water Resources Community to Participate in NASA's
Applied Sciences Program, Universities Council on Water Resources,
Annual Conference, Increasing Freshwater Supplies, July 18-20, Santa Fe,
New Mexico, Technical Presentation and Technical paper (4 pp.).

Toll, D., K. Arsenault, E. Engman, L. Friedl, C. Peters-Lidard, Ana
Pinheiro, J. Nigro, J, 2006. Protect and Monitor Water Resources 2006.
IGARRS Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (July/Aug), Technical Paper (4pp) and
Technical Presentation.

Wood, A.W., and J. Schaake, 2006. A simplified approach to hydrologic
ensemble prediction, to be submitted, *Journal of Hydrometeorology*.

**[Contact Information]{.smallcaps}**

Lawrence Friedl, Program Element Manager (Acting) David, Toll, Deputy
Program Manager

Telephone: 202-358-1599 Telephone: 301-614-5801

E-mail: LFriedl@nasa.gov E-mail: David.L.Toll@nasa.gov

Jared Entin, Deputy Program Manager

Telephone: 202-358-0275

E-mail: Jared.K.Entin@nasa.gov

[^1]: The FY06-10 Water Management Program Element Plan is available
    through:
    [*http://aiwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/dss.html*](http://aiwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/dss.html)