1. NASA Drought Project Meeting
29 September 2008
National Drought Monitoring System for Drought Early Warning Using Hydrologic and Ecologic Observations from NASA Satellite Data
Presentation by S. V. Nghiem
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109

2. Investigator Team • Brakenridge, G.R.: Dartmouth College
• Dole, R.: NOAA Physical Science Division
• Le Comte, D.: NOAA Climate Prediction Center
• Njoku, E. G.: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Verdin, J.: U.S. Geological Survey
• Wilhite, D.: National Drought Mitigation Center
• Nghiem, S.: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Advisory Board: D. Entekhabi (MIT), D. Hall (NASA GSFC), P. Houser (George Mason U.), A. Huete (U. Arizona), G. Leshkevich (NOAA GLERL), K. Steffen (U. Colorado/CIRES), and P. Whung (USDA).

3. Overall Objectives National Drought Monitoring System (NDMS)
Drought monitoring and forecast
Enhancing U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM)
Utilizing NASA satellite data/results: AMSR-E microwave radiometer, QuikSCAT microwave scatterometer, MODIS spectro-radiometer, and ASTER radiometer
Integrating with diverse indicators to monitor major components of hydrologic and ecologic system
Prototype demonstration and validation
Near-term goal: Applications to NIDIS.
Long-term goal: Expandable to GEOSS.

4. National Drought Monitoring System Using NASA Data/Results – Wiring Diagram
QuikSCAT
AMSR-E
ASTER
Terra & Aqua
MODIS
Receiving Stations
Receiving Stations
Receiving Stations
Soil Moisture Change Algorithm
NDVI Algorithm
Soil Moisture Algorithm
NDVI Algorithm
Reservoir Algorithm
JPL Data System
USGS Data System
DFO Data System
Surface Obs
Networks
Climatic
Data
US DROUGHT MONITOR
NDMC, NOAA, USGS, …
V&V

5. Integrated System Solution: National Drought Information System
NASA Water Management Project: National Drought Monitoring System
Earth System
Satellite Algorithms
AMSR-E algorithms (JPL)
Soil moisture
Vegetation water content
QuikSCAT algorithms (JPL)
Precipitation water change on
land surface
Precipitation frequency
Experimental NDVI
MODIS/ASTER algorithms
Vegetation indices (USGS)
Lake/reservoir area (DFO)
Predictions/Forecasts
Decision Support Systems, Assessments, Management Actions
National Integrated Drought Information System
US Drought Monitor
Weekly map and web portal
Analyses and Forecast
Early Drought Detection
Drought Spatial Extent
Drought State/Drought Severity
Drought duration
Decisions / Actions
Drought Plans Activated
Urban Water Restrictions
Drought Assistance Programs
Agricultural Choices for Water Conservation
Information products
Water Monitoring
Soil moisture change
Precipitation frequency
Lake/reservoir change
Vegetation Monitoring
Vegetation Indices
Season start
Season length
Drought Indices
Palmer Drought index
Standardized
Precipitation Index
Stream flow percentile
Soil moisture percentile
Drought indicator blend
Value & Benefits
to Society
Quantitative and qualitative benefits from improved decisions
Wider dissemination of
drought information
Improved understanding of
drought effects at sub-
county scale
Quicker response for State
Drought Task Forces and
State Governors
Increased spatial precision
in drought emergency
designations
Better informed state and
local decision making
leading to more effective
use of available water and
drought relief program
resources
Earth Observations
NASA Satellite Data:
- AMSR-E Radiometer
- QuikSCATScatterometer
MODIS Spectroradiometer
ASTER Radiometer
Surface Data:
- Weather station networks
Soil moisture : SCAN
Network, SNOTEL Network
- Long-term stations
- Surface radars
Observations, Parameters & Products

6. Status and Progress
Three-year project: Year-1 completed; Year-2 extended to 3/31/2009; Year-3 may have delay.
JPL Year 2:
Providing QuikSCAT soil moisture change (SMC) data for drought applications: data for entire CONUS, daily data production, >80% coverage of CONUS per day, and automated routine upload processor is ready. (AMSR-E soil moisture data available from NSIDC).
Resolution benchmarking: SMC data gridded at ¼ degree in latitude and longitude, resolving county scale per Nyquist scale requirement estimated at 27 km.
Demonstration of improvement (all) – JPL sending SMC images to NDMC; Example using Google Earth.
Publications: Drought related meeting abstracts, paper manuscript on going.
Programmatic: Subcontracts to all, Year-2 extension to all; Meetings with NASA and NASA reports.

7. Active/Passive Microwave Signatures

8. LDAS Precipitation QuikSCAT SMC

10. Weekly U. S. Drought Monitor at a Very Coarse Scale
Week ending
31 Jan 2005
Week ending
30 Jan 2007

11. Resolution Benchmark A NIDIS Objective : County Level
US Drought Monitor: Climate Division
Enhanced Drought DSS: County Level
Requirement:
US Land Area (50 states+DC)= 9,161,923 km²
Number of counties = 3141 units
Average: Area=2917 km², scale=54 km
Nyquist requirement: Scale < 54/2=27 km
Satellite data: Better than 27 km
A NIDIS Objective : County Level

12. Severely Wet California – Winter 2005

13. Severely Dry California – Winter 2007

14. California Burning

15. CONUS SMC 080914 On Google Earth

16. Texas SMC 080914 On Google Earth

17. County SMC 080914 On Google Earth