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Hydrologic Science Priorities for the U.S. Global Change Research Program An Initial Assessment (1999) / Chapter Skim
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3. Measurement and Data Strategies
Pages 16-24

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From page 16...
... Resolution of the questions in Chapter 2 requires new data, with measurement location, frequency, duration, and accuracy characteristics that go beyond the capabilities of existing networks. Allocation of new resources for data collection and data archiving must seek a compromise between scientific and operational needs, between ground-based networks and remotely sensed measurements, and between information on water quantity and quality.
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From page 17...
... This can be achieved only through bow inter- and intra-agency commitments to making long-term measurements in support of work on recognized national priorities in water resources planning, water quality management, aquatic ecosystem protection and restoration, hazard mitigation, and global change research Implementation plans should address stable funding partnerships to maintain the networks.
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From page 18...
... However, much of this capability remains underused in terrestnal hydrologic research and applications because of a lack of investment in research and technology by the USGCRP agencies. Important technological questions remain to be answered before data with sufficient accuracy and reliability can be collected and systematically applied for measuring and detecting changes in land surface hydrologic properties.
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From page 19...
... Both systems offer the promise of measuring snow water equivalent, wad a lower-frequency, higher-resolution SAR being preferred for measDg deep snow properties in mountainous regions, and wad higher-firequency passive sensors being preferred for Dinner snow packs on the Great Plains. A SAR sensor for snow water equivalence Bus helps address perhaps the most significant water resources management challenge In He western United States ~ of seasonal water supply forecas~ng.
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From page 20...
... For example, sequential remotely sensed data of ground temperature and microwave emissivity for the top few centimeters of soil may be used in conjunction with a soil column model to infer profiles of soil temperature and moisture down to tens of centimeters. In the context of groundwater, tracer and water level measurements in a sparse network of monitoring weds may be assimilated into a numerical groundwater model to infer soil hydraulic properties throughout the aquifer.
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From page 21...
... Nested regional climate models provide a bridge between the spatial scales of atmospheric and land surface processes. Understanding predictability in hydrologic systems and tapping that predictability for planning, assessments, and forecasts clearly require bridging tools that can make use of detailed spatial data to estimate spatial responses.
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From page 22...
... Underuse of other hydrologic data stems from problems with quality control. For example, the limited use of groundbased radar rainfall data outside of the operational environment is partady attributed to the lack of researchquality data products and partially to poor archiving practices.
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From page 23...
... Measurement and Data Strategies 23
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From page 24...
... As a Tong-term archive, STORET needs to be improved wad respect to the documentation of its quality assurance and quality control procedures, and the more consistency of its reporting in order to reduce large spatial and temporal data gaps. Systematic criteria that are cost-effective for collecting and archiving valuable water quality data need to be defined and Implemented as part of operational networks.
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Key Terms

  • hydrologic science
  • remotely sensed
  • hydrologic research
  • soil moisture
  • weather radar

  • hydrologic data
  • water resources
  • quality assessment
  • national water
  • data assimilation

  • snow water
  • hydrologic models
  • global water
  • quality data
  • operational networks

  • land surface
  • changing planet
  • data products
  • detecting changes
  • snowpack properties

  • snow properties
  • western united
  • mountainous regions
  • process studies
  • geological survey

  • precipitation mission
  • water balance
  • water equivalence
  • sensed data
  • radar network


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