Satellite

Mapping Avian Habitat along Inland Agricultural Landscapes of the Gulf Coast

Submitted by tadamson on

The western United States Gulf of Mexico coast provides important habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl and shorebirds. The Gulf Coast Joint Venture, comprised of staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Ducks Unlimited, is one of 25 migratory bird Joint Ventures in North America and is focused on advancing conservation of priority bird habitats in this region.

Developing High-resolution Fractional Vegetation Cover Maps for Greater Sage-grouse Habitat

Submitted by tadamson on

Accurate maps of seasonal habitat for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) across broad extents are of paramount importance to conservation efforts in sagebrush ecosystems across the Great Basin, particularly for habitat assessments and mitigation efforts. However, the ability to model sage-grouse habitat at fine spatial scales necessary for microhabitat assessment is constrained by the spatial and spectral resolution of most remotely sensed measurements of vegetation composition.

Cinnamon Teal Migratory Habitat Selection in Western North America

Submitted by tadamson on

Waterfowl rely on continent-wide wetland networks supporting migratory pathways that connect important breeding and wintering grounds. Locally, wetland habitat availability is affected by water policy and regional environmental characteristics that result in substantial annual variation in the quantity and quality of habitats available to waterfowl and other waterbirds. 

Central Valley Waterfowl Dynamic Habitat Mapping

Submitted by tadamson on

Waterfowl populations within California's Central Valley are unusual among most North American waterfowl populations in that the region contains both resident and migratory populations of several species. The region supports 60% of the waterfowl and waterbirds that stopover for at least part of the year along the Pacific Flyway, a major north-south migratory pathway. The Central Valley also produces 8% of the entire Nation's crops and over half of California’s $50 billion agriculture cash receipts.

On-Demand Provisional Landsat Actual Evapotranspiration for Global Extent

Submitted by tadamson on

Provisional actual evapotranspiration (ETa) products derived from Landsat and weather data are now available for public download at a global extent for all Landsat data from 1984 onward. Landsat ETa is crucial for measuring water use and critical hydrologic components of the water budget for agricultural and natural landscapes at a higher spatial resolution.

Mapping Irregularly Flooded Wetlands, High Marsh, and Salt Pannes/Flats

Submitted by tadamson on

Irregularly flooded wetlands supply important ecosystem services, such as providing habitat for fish and wildlife, enhancing water quality, ameliorating flooding impacts, supporting coastal food webs, and protecting coastlines from erosion. Mapping irregularly flooded wetlands is a daunting challenge given their expansive coverage and dynamic nature.

Landsat Actual Evapotranspiration Model Advancements for Nationwide Water Use Mapping

Submitted by tadamson on

Actual evapotranspiration (ET) estimation using remote sensing and weather data is an active research activity by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists interested in delivering consistent and useful nationwide ET information. This information is important when measuring critical hydrologic components of the water budget for agricultural and natural landscapes across space and time.

Consumptive Use of Navajo Nation Riparian Vegetation

Submitted by tadamson on

Water use estimates are valuable to the Navajo Nation in adjudicating water rights and informing other environmental policy decisions. Estimates of actual evapotranspiration (ETa), precipitation (PP), and consumptive use (CU) of riparian vegetation assist decision making by natural resource managers. The objectives of this project were to estimate the riparian land cover area for trees and shrubs, calculate their corresponding daily and annual water use, and derive riparian CU in acre-feet (AF).

Riparian Restoration, Wildfire and Climate Resilience on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona

Submitted by tadamson on

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working with the San Carlos Apache Tribe to map current and historical riparian areas on the San Carlos Apache Reservation to identify regions vulnerable to wildfire and to target restoration efforts.

The Earth Resources Observation and Science Center-Imaging Spectroscopy Project (EROS-ISP): Paving the Way for Landsat’s Future

Submitted by tadamson on

The joint U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)--National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth observation Landsat mission began in July 1972 and surpassed its 50th anniversary in July 2022. The 50-year Landsat global data archive comprises eight independently developed NASA multispectral visible-to-shortwave infrared (VSWIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) observatories that have been or are currently operated by the USGS.