💧🌏 Greg CocksMay 6, 2025
U.S. Geological Survey Colorado River Basin Science and Technology Collaboration Meetings on Drought (2021) - Synthesis of Findings
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https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/cir1551 <-- shared publication
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USGS recent publication about the challenges and barriers land managers and scientists are working on to address the wicked problems of drought in the Colorado River Basin.
#water #hydrology #drought #extremeweather #fedscience #Colorado #ColoradoRiver #ColoradoRiverBasin #watershed #waterresources #watersupply #climatechange ##landmanagers #management #planning #overuse #magicwater #humanimpacts #ecosystems #agriculture #farming #USWest #strategy #GIS #spatial #mapping #waterscience #interdisciplinary #research #adapation #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #stakeholder #engagement #cost #economics #coordination #future @USFS @USFS
U.S. Geological Survey Colorado River Basin science and technology collaboration meetings on drought (2021)—Synthesis of findings

Ongoing, prolonged, and severe drought and water overuse during the first two decades of the 21st century have reduced water supplies of the Colorado River Basin, with effects cascading to ecosystems and human communities throughout the basin. In June and July 2021, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology initiative team held a series of 12 collaboration meetings with USGS scientists and managers to discuss complicated, integrated science challenges and solutions related to drought in the Colorado River Basin. These Science and Technology collaboration meetings were structured to identify challenges experienced by meeting participants when working on complex problems, explore opportunities for coproducing scientific information, and envision future collaborative programs that leverage new technology. The 12 meetings were attended by 79 USGS staff representing 43 unique affiliations (for example, USGS science centers, mission areas, and regional offices). Meeting participants submitted 865 individual...

💧🌏 Greg CocksNov 27, 2024
Differentiating Cheatgrass And Medusahead Phenological Characteristics In Western United States Rangelands [remote sensing]
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https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16224258 <-- shared paper
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #vegetation #grassland #cheatgrass #medusahead #BRTE #TACA8 #phenology #growingseason #rangeland #EAG #invasivespecies #management #landmanagers #habitat #cost #loss #economicimpact #ecosystem #deterioration #impacts #USWest #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #model #modeling #treemodel #landsat #sentinel #HLS #satellite #remotesensing #vegetationindex #NDVI #research #testcase #corrleation #metrics #controlmeasures #herbicide #cattle #grazing #mitigation #landcover #NLDI
Differentiating Cheatgrass and Medusahead Phenological Characteristics in Western United States Rangelands

Expansions in the extent and infestation levels of exotic annual grass (EAG) within the rangelands of the western United States are well documented. Land managers are tasked with developing plans to limit EAG spread and prevent irreversible ecosystem deterioration. The most common EAG species and the subject of extensive study is Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass). Cheatgrass has spread rapidly in western rangelands since its initial invasion more than 100 years ago. Another concerning aggressive EAG, Taeniatherum caput-medusae (medusahead), is also commonly found in some of these areas. To control the spread of EAGs, researchers have investigated applying several control methods during different developmental stages of cheatgrass and medusahead. These control strategies require accurate maps of the timing and spatial patterns of the developmental stages to apply mitigation strategies in the correct areas at the right time. In this study, we developed annual phenological datasets for cheatgrass and medusahead with two objectives. The first objective was to determine if cheatgrass and medusahead can be differentiated at 30 m resolution using their phenological differences. The second objective was to establish an annual phenology metric regression tree model used to map the growing seasons of cheatgrass and medusahead. Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS)-derived predicted weekly cloud-free 30 m normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) images were used to develop these metric maps. The result of this effort was maps that identify the start and end of sustained growing season time for cheatgrass and medusahead at 30 m for the Snake River Plain and Northern Basin and Range ecoregions. These phenological datasets also identify the start and end-of-season NDVI values, along with maximum NDVI throughout the study period. These metrics may be utilized to characterize annual growth patterns for cheatgrass and medusahead. This approach can be utilized to plan time-sensitive control measures such as herbicide applications or cattle grazing.

MDPI
💧🌏 Greg CocksJul 30, 2024
New Report Ranks USGS Assets High Among Earth Observations Systems Surveyed
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https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/new-report-ranks-usgs-assets-high-among-earth-observations-systems-surveyed <-- link to article
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https://usgeo.gov/working-groups.html <-- USGEO Working Group reports and summaries
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https://usgeo.gov/uploads/EOA%20Agriculture-Forestry%20Report%20(July%202024).pdf <-- 2023 Earth Observations Assessment Report - Agriculture and Forestry
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #earthobservation #landsat #summary #overview #agriculture #forestry #global #farming #ranching #hydrology #water #watersheds #waterresources #watersecurity #naturalresources #landmanagers #landcover #landuse #USGEO #NLIP #society #satellite #metrics #landsat8 #landsat9 #economic #economicbenefits #production #sustainability #resourcemanagement
@USGS @USGEO @nasa @NOAA
New report ranks USGS assets high among Earth observations systems surveyed | U.S. Geological Survey

The United States Group on Earth Observations, also known as USGEO, recently released its 2023 Earth Observation Assessment (EOA) report focused on agriculture and forestry. 

💧🌏 Greg CocksApr 23, 2024
Early Estimates Of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) In The Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2024 (ver. 1.0, April 2024)
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https://doi.org/10.5066/P9351ZTZ <-- link to @USGS open data resource
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#RemoteSensing #GIS #spatial #mapping #MachineLearning #Mapping #EnvironmentalResearch #earthobservation #datadownload #digitaldata #opendata #EROS #invasivespecies #exotic #grass #vegetation #spatialanalysis #EAG #AIM #AI #machinelearning #NDVI #USWest #USA #satellite #sagebrush #biome #landmanagement #planning #range #landmanagers
@USGS
Early Estimates of Exotic Annual Grass (EAG) in the Sagebrush Biome, USA, 2023 - ScienceBase-Catalog

These datasets provide early estimates of 2023 fractional cover for exotic annual grass (EAG) species and one native perennial grass species on a weekly basis from May to early July. The EAG estimates are developed typically within 7-13 days of the latest satellite observation used for that version. Each weekly release contains four fractional cover maps along with their corresponding confidence maps for: 1) a group of 16 species of EAGs, 2) cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum); 3) medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae); and 4) Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda). These datasets were generated leveraging field observations from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) data plots; Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); other relevant environmental, vegetation, remotely sensed, and geophysical drivers; and artificial intelligence/machine learning techniques. A total of 28,901 AIM plots from years 2016–2022 were used to train an ensemble of five-fold regression-tree models using a cross-validation approach (each observation was used as test data once and as training data four times) that developed all the fractional cover maps. The geographic coverage includes arid and semi-arid rangelands in the western U.S classified as grassland/herbaceous by the 2019 National Land Cover Database at or below 2350-m elevation. Note: Maps of May 1st, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than April 28. Maps of May 8th, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than May 05. Maps of May 15th, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than May 11. Maps of May 22nd, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than May 19. Maps of May 29th, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than May 26. Maps of June 5th, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than June 2. Maps of June 12th, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than June 9. Maps of June 19th, 2023 were developed using satellite observation data no later than June 16. Releases: First Release: May 01, 2023 (ver. 1.0) Revised: May 08, 2023 (ver. 2.0) Revised: May 15, 2023 (ver. 3.0) [Updated on June 26, 2023] Revised: May 22, 2023 (ver. 4.0) [Updated on June 26, 2023] Revised: May 29, 2023 (ver. 5.0) Revised: June 5, 2023 (ver. 6.0) [Updated on June 20, 2023] Revised: June 12, 2023 (ver. 7.0) Revised: June 19, 2023 (ver. 8.0)

beSpacificFeb 10, 2024
#Pollinator Partnership works with diverse stakeholders representing various perspectives with the goal of creating positive change for pollinators. We work with #farmers, #gardeners, #landmanagers, #scientists, and industry to develop tools and programs that help keep #pollinators safe from #pesticides, #habitatloss, #climatechange, and other threats. https://www.pollinator.org
Show threadAndrew ThompsonFeb 10, 2023

⬆️ If you are interested in the co-existence of #beavers #farmers & #landManagers, for the mutual benefit of all, and the wider public good this is a great thread 🧵 from @rachelschicksiegel highlighting some innovative partnership initiatives in NW #USA #Oregon #Idaho

For #Scotland:
#Beaver sceptics and believers alike should read & learn
#climateCrisis
#Flooding #drought #mitigation #BiodiversityCrisis
#KeystoneSpecies
#NatureRestoration
#Wetland #hydrology #NaturesEngineers