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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Modeling the Effect of Wetlands, Flooding, and Irrigation on River Flow: Application to the Aral Sea

As the world's population continues to increase, additional stress is placed on water resources. This stress, coupled with future uncertainties regarding climate change, makes arid and semi-arid regions particularly vulnerable. One example is the Aral Sea where the freshwater inflow, which is dominated by snowmelt runoff, has decreased significantly since the expansion of intensive irrigation in the 1960s. The purpose of this paper is to use a river routing scheme from a global climate model to examine the flow of the Amu Dar'ya River into the Aral Sea. The river routing scheme is modified to include groundwater flow, flooding, and evaporative losses in the river's wetlands and floodplain, and anthropogenic withdrawals for irrigation. A set of scenarios is designed to test the sensitivity of river flow to the inclusion of these modifications into the river routing scheme. When riverine wetlands and floodplains are present, the river flow is reduced significantly and is similar to the observed flow. In addition the model results show that it is essential to incorporate human diversions to accurately represent the inflow to the Aral Sea, and they also indicate potential management strategies that might be appropriate to maintain a balance between inflow to the Sea and upstream diversions for irrigation.

Ferrari, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Irrigation Monitoring Project Results

The objective of this project is to investigate remote sensing requirements for irrigation scheduling to define future systems. Temperature-based crop stress indicators have been developed that could be used for irrigation management. This viewgraph presentation describes an experiment to use airborne and satellite thermal imagery to evaulate the water requirements of irrigated crops.

Terrie, Gregory↗
NASA NTRS2006

Estimating Temperature Retrieval Accuracy Associated With Thermal Band Spatial Resolution Requirements for Center Pivot Irrigation Monitoring and Management

This study explores the use of synthetic thermal center pivot irrigation scenes to estimate temperature retrieval accuracy for thermal remote sensed data, such as data acquired from current and proposed Landsat-like thermal systems. Center pivot irrigation is a common practice in the western United States and in other parts of the world where water resources are scarce. Wide-area ET (evapotranspiration) estimates and reliable water management decisions depend on accurate temperature information retrieval from remotely sensed data. Spatial resolution, sensor noise, and the temperature step between a field and its surrounding area impose limits on the ability to retrieve temperature information. Spatial resolution is an interrelationship between GSD (ground sample distance) and a measure of image sharpness, such as edge response or edge slope. Edge response and edge slope are intuitive, and direct measures of spatial resolution are easier to visualize and estimate than the more common Modulation Transfer Function or Point Spread Function. For these reasons, recent data specifications, such as those for the LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission), have used GSD and edge response to specify spatial resolution. For this study, we have defined a 400-800 m diameter center pivot irrigation area with a large 25 K temperature step associated with a 300 K well-watered field surrounded by an infinite 325 K dry area. In this context, we defined the benchmark problem as an easily modeled, highly common stressing case. By parametrically varying GSD (30-240 m) and edge slope, we determined the number of pixels and field area fraction that meet a given temperature accuracy estimate for 400-m, 600-m, and 800-m diameter field sizes. Results of this project will help assess the utility of proposed specifications for the LDCM and other future thermal remote sensing missions and for water resource management.

Ryan, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Tree Canopy Light Interception Estimates in Almond and a Walnut Orchards Using Ground, Low Flying Aircraft, and Satellite Based Methods to Improve Irrigation Scheduling Programs

Canopy light interception is a main driver of water use and crop yield in almond and walnut production. Fractional green canopy cover (Fc) is a good indicator of light interception and can be estimated remotely from satellite using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data. Satellite-based Fc estimates could be used to inform crop evapotranspiration models, and hence support improvements in irrigation evaluation and management capabilities. Satellite estimates of Fc in almond and walnut orchards, however, need to be verified before incorporating them into irrigation scheduling or other crop water management programs. In this study, Landsat-based NDVI and Fc from NASA's Satellite Irrigation Management Support (SIMS) were compared with four estimates of canopy cover: 1. light bar measurement, 2. in-situ and image-based dimensional tree-crown analyses, 3. high-resolution NDVI data from low flying aircraft, and 4. orchard photos obtained via Google Earth and processed by an Image J thresholding routine. Correlations between the various estimates are discussed.

Satellite↗
NASA NTRS2022

Irrigation and Warming Drive the Decreases in Surface Albedo Over High Mountain Asia

Human and climate induced land surface changes resulting from irrigation, snow cover decreases, and greening impact the surface albedo over High Mountain Asia (HMA). Here we use a partial information decomposition approach and remote sensing data to quantify the effects of the changes in leaf area index, soil moisture, and snow cover on the surface albedo in HMA, home to over a billion people, from 2003 to 2020. The study establishes strong evidence of anthropogenic agricultural water use over irrigated lands (e.g., Ganges-Brahmaputra) which causes the highest surface albedo decreases (≤1%/year). Greening and decreased snow cover from warming also drive changes in visible and near-infrared surface albedo in different areas of HMA. The significant role of irrigation and greening in influencing albedo suggests the potential of a positive feedback cycle where albedo decreases lead to increased evaporative demand and increased stress on water resources.

Climate sciences↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Satellite-assisted Evaluation of Irrigation Application Efficiency for Lettuce in the Salinas Valley

The Salinas Valley region of California’s Central Coast is a majorU.S. vegetable producer. Lettuce is a leading commodity, grown on about 100,000 acres with annual value near $1.4B (2022 Monterey County Ag Report). Vegetables crops in the area aretypically well watered and fertilized in pursuit of commercial yield and quality standards. Information on irrigation application efficiency, meanwhile, can enhance waterresource sustainability and mitigate impacts of nitrate infiltrationon groundwater quality. The Crop Consumptive Use Fraction (CCUF), previously recommended by the California Department of Water Resources, is a metric that expresses evapotranspiration (ET) of applied water relative to total applied water. More recently under Assembly Bill 1668 addressing water conservation and drought planning, the metric can be used to help quantify application efficiency to support preparation of agricultural water management plans in the state. This study will report CCUF evaluations from several commercial lettuce plantings in the Salinas Valley during the 2022 dry season (late spring-early fall). The evaluations were derived from satellite-based observations of cropET from the OpenETcloud application, and applied water monitored by in-line flowmetersand supplemented by grower reports of irrigation system runtime. The study will also compare observed (satellite-based) ET with modeled ET from the CropManage irrigationand nutrient management decision-support system operated by Cooperative Extension. Additional study in cool-season vegetables is ongoing in 2023.

Satellite-assisted↗
DOE OSTI2023

Influence of irrigation approaches and spatial geolocation on tritium speciation, uptake and depuration

Pine needles and tree cores from a tritium (T) contaminated phytoremediation forest at the Savannah River Site (SRS in Aiken, SC) Mixed Waste Management Facility (MWMF) were measured for total T and T speciation and compared to other locations at the SRS and the surrounding area. Tree core ages ranged from 9 to 14 years old, covering over half of the ~20-year on-going remediation efforts, while pine needles represent more recent time periods of 1-to-2-year increments. Remedial irrigation efforts at the MWMF are found to directly influence the pine needle T concentrations. The T content in the MWMF samples is higher than non-irrigated needle samples from other locations around the SRS. Furthermore, the different forms of organic bound T are preferentially stored in tree core tissue, compared to pine needles where tritiated water dominates.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1977

An inventory of irrigated lands for selected counties within the state of California based on LANDSAT and supporting aircraft data

The author has identified the following significant results: (1) Goals of the irrigated lands project were addressed by the design and implementation of a multiphase sampling scheme that was founded on the utilization of a LANDSAT-based remote sensing system. (2) The synoptic coverage of LANDSAT and the eighteen day orbit cycle allowed the project to study agricultural test sites in a variety of environmental regions and monitor the development of crops throughout the major growing season. (3) The capability to utilize multidate imagery is crucial to the reliable estimation of irrigated acreage in California where multiple cropping is widespread and current estimation systems must rely on single data survey techniques. (4) In addition, the magnitude of agricultural acreage in California makes estimation by conventional methods impossible.

Colwell, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Airborne monitoring of crop canopy temperatures for irrigation scheduling and yield prediction

Airborne and ground measurements were made on April 1 and 29, 1976, over a USDA test site consisting mostly of wheat in various stages of water stress, but also including alfalfa and bare soil. These measurements were made to evaluate the feasibility of measuring crop temperatures from aircraft so that a parameter termed stress degree day, SDD, could be computed. Ground studies have shown that SDD is a valuable indicator of a crop's water needs, and that it can be related to irrigation scheduling and yield. The aircraft measurement program required predawn and afternoon flights coincident with minimum and maximum crop temperatures. Airborne measurements were made with an infrared line scanner and with color IR photography. The scanner data were registered, subtracted, and color-coded to yield pseudo-colored temperature-difference images. Pseudo-colored images reading directly in daily SDD increments were also produced. These maps enable a user to assess plant water status and thus determine irrigation needs and crop yield potentials.

Millard, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Landsat-based multiphase estimation of California's irrigated lands

Currently, inventory of California's irrigated lands is performed on a seven year cycle. Since 1975, the University of California in cooperation with NASA and the California Department of Water Resources has been developing and testing techniques to utilize a Landsat based remote sensing system to produce statewide estimates in a single year. The proposed system utilizes multiphase sampling, stratification and multitemporal Landsat imagery to produce the estimate. Early research concentrated on regional estimates to develop the techniques. This year, an inventory of the entire state of California is being performed. In addition, research on the utilization of digital analysis for estimating irrigated acreage and the determination of specific crop types (manual and digital analysis) is also underway.

Wall, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Crop phenology and LANDSAT-based irrigated lands inventory in the high plains

The activity concentrated on identifying crop and irrigation data sources for the eight states within the High Plains Aquifer and making contacts concerning the nature of these data. A mail questionnaire was developed to gather specific data not routinely reported through standard data collection channels. Input/output routines were designed for High Plains crop and irrigation data and initial statistical data on crops were input to computer files.

Martinko, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Irrigated acreage in the Bear River Basin as of the 1975 growing season

The irrigated cropland in the Bear River Basin as of the 1975 growing season was inventoried from satellite imagery. LANDSAT color infrared images (scale 1:125,000) were examined for early, mid, and late summer dates, and acreage was estimated by use of township/section overlays. The total basin acreage was estimated to be 573,435 acres, with individual state totals as follows: Idaho 234,370 acres; Utah 265,505 acres; and Wyoming 73,560 acres. As anticipated, wetland areas intermingled among cropland appears to have produced an over-estimation of irrigated acreage. According to a 2% random sample of test sites evaluated by personnel from the Soil Conservation Service such basin-wide over-estimation is 7.5%; individual counties deviate significantly from the basin-wide figure, depending on the relative amount of wetland areas intermingled with cropland.

Ridd, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Irrigation management with remote sensing

Two visible/near IR hand held radiometers and a hand held thermoradiometer were used along with soil moisture and lysimetric measurements in a study of soil moisture distribution in afalfa fields on the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project near farmington, New Mexico. Radiances from irrigated plots were measured and converted to reflectances. Surface soil water contents (o cm to 4 cm) were determined gravimetrically on samples collected at the same time as the spectral measurements. The relationship between the spectral measurements and the crop coefficient were evaluated to demonstrate potential for using spectral measurement to estimate crop coefficient.

Harlan, C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Irrigation survey in Sherburne County, Minnesota

Approximately 70% of Minnesota's irrigation is with center pivot distribution systems whose diagnostic appearance on remotely sensed imagery is a circular pattern which can be readily identified on LANDSAT MSS band imagery. Fields irrigated with traveling guns, laterals, booms, or cornering systems either result in angular field patterns or obscure the circular patterns normally visible on imagery. The IDMS system at Goddard was used to develop a LANDSAT digital classification of the Sherburne County area, which located fields regardless of shape, and was not dependent of visual interpretation. Ground truth collection and classification attempts are described in an effort to inventory all wells in the area.

Beissel, D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Simulating spatial and temporal variation of corn canopy temperature during an irrigation cycle

The canopy air temperature difference (delta T) which provides an index for scheduling irrigation was examined. The Monteith transpiration equation was combined with both uptake from a single layered root zone and change in internal storage of the plant and the continuity equation for water flux in the soil plant atmosphere system was solved. The model indicates that both daily total transpiration and soil induced depression of plant water potential may be inferred from mid-day delta T. It is suggested that for the soil plant weather data used in the simulation, either a mid day spatial variability of about 0.8K in canopy temperatures or a field averaged delta T of 2 to 4K may be a suitable criterion for irrigation scheduling.

Choudhury, B. J.↗