1. NASA Drought Project Meeting
24 April 2007
National Drought Monitoring System for Drought Early Warning Using Hydrologic and Ecologic Observations from NASA Satellite Data
NASA Project Overview
Objectives and Roles
Presentation by S. V. Nghiem
NASA JPL, California Institute of Technology

3. Overview
NASA selected two proposals on drought monitoring: Decisions/ and Decisions/
NASA combined the two proposals into one project with significant budget reduction
Funding process through NASA Stennis Space Center was interrupted (Hurricane Katrina)
NASA HQ asked Jet Propulsion Laboratory to issue subcontracts to USGS/NDMC and NOAA
Subcontracts process were completed by JPL and the NASA drought project is now started

4. 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).

5. 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, and MODIS spectroradiometer
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.

6. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Year-1 subcontracts to USGS/NDMC & NOAA
Roles
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Overall project management (S. V. Nghiem) and lead integrator of NASA data/results including AMSR and QuikSCAT; Responsible for collecting, assessing, correlating, coordinating, packaging, and delivering results and products derived from NASA satellite radiometer and scatterometer for drought applications to NDMC.
Year-1 subcontracts to USGS/NDMC & NOAA

7. Subcontract to NDMC for overhead savings
Roles
U.S Geological Survey
Lead integrator of MODIS/AVHRR vegetation indices. USGS will implements the VI subsystems and deliver data products and results for drought applications. J. Verdin will be responsible for the overall VI work at USGS and for delivering USGS results.
Subcontract to NDMC for overhead savings

8. National Drought Mitigation Center
Roles
National Drought Mitigation Center
Lead integrator of the improved operational USDM system; Responsible for ingesting NASA results and products into the existing USDM for drought decision support, and benchmarking new results with the current approach using non-NASA data to assess the improvement; results distribution to users via the NDMC Internet infrastructure.

9. NOAA Physical Science Division
Roles
NOAA Physical Science Division
Lead systems engineering: prototypes, demonstrations, and validations. Developing rapid prototypes of modified USDM products that incorporate NASA satellite data, validating the satellite data infusion methods with in-situ observational data, and evaluating potential added values of prototype satellite data-augmented USDM products. Prototype products will focus on (i) Use of satellite data to provide drought information to decision-makers at higher spatial and temporal resolution, and (ii) Use of satellite data to add the capability to visualize the severity of current drought conditions at high spatial resolution and include additional information on hydrological, agricultural, and ecosystem stress for the intermountain West. Also responsible for benchmarking the spatial and temporal fidelity of the new results with the current approach using non-NASA data to assess the improvements.

10. NOAA Climate Prediction Center
Roles
NOAA Climate Prediction Center
Lead integrator of the improved drought forecast system; Responsible for utilizing new results from NASA data to explore improvements of drought forecasts, and benchmarking new results with the current approach using non-NASA data to assess the improvement.

11. Dartmouth Flood Observatory
Roles
Dartmouth Flood Observatory
Lead system performance evaluation. Responsible for implementing a semi-automated system that will ingest NASA MODIS data over selected U.S. hydrologic accounting units to assess each unit's weekly surface water status to provide numerical estimates of the extent of surface water within all U.S. units, and provide for selected-region monitoring on a weekly basis an independent system performance evaluation for the USDM. Also responsible for facilitating the incorporation of MODIS surface water status products into the USDM

12. 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
MODIS 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
Surface Data:
- Weather Station networks
Soil moisture : SCAN
Network, SNOTEL Network
- Long-term stations
- Surface radars
Observations, Parameters & Products