Satellite to track drought from space
By Marcus Woo, Wired
The launch of a small satellite won’t fix the the drought in the American West—now entering its fourth year—and it won’t change the fact that January was the driest month in recorded California history. But the Soil Moisture Active Passive mission might at least tell scientists and farmers something new about that drought, and maybe how much worse it’ll get.
Winds and mechanical issues delayed the SMAP launch for two days, but on Saturday morning a Delta II rocketed it from Vandenberg Air Force Base to about 400 miles above the planet. After three months of “commissioning”—when ground control makes sure all the instruments are working—SMAP will spend three years taking the most accurate readings ever of soil moisture around the world. That’s right: It will measure how wet the dirt is. From space.
For understanding water on Earth getting a good handle on dampness is crucial. SMAP can see through atmospheric moisture, plants, and a couple of inches of dirt to measure wetness over an area of about 3.5 square miles.
Satellite tracking drought, Unless we get some REALLY big storms in the next couple of months things are looking bad for us here, not only in Tahoe, but all over the state and beyond. With a shrinking lake due to no run off going to the near empty resavoirs , already hurting, will shrink even more.
The Bay Area and So. Cal could be in some serious trouble with a lack of No. Calif. Water.
No water = poor economny = higher food prices and loss of agriculture = loss of jobs everywhere.
Yeah, everything IS connected. Sometimes for the good and sometimes for the worse. Conserve evey drop!!!
Take care and be prepared, OLS
You are correct OLS. I’m really worried about this drought. Drove past some of the reservoirs a month ago and things were not looking good. 2015 could be a very rough year.
In one week, places above 7,000 ft elevation went from snow on the ground to Dust Bowl conditions with the dirt blowing away in the wind. I could hardly believe my eyes. This satellite data is going to be really important in the long run. Still no warnings coming out of Sacramento of what’s to come for people needing water all over CA. I won’t be surprised when they have to truck water from one city to another.
Probably time for planning departments in the West to stop granting building permits for massive new subdivisions until ample supplies of water are assured for all. There go the developer payoffs and contributions to the politicians.