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At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

A multi-source satellite data approach for modelling Lake Turkana water level: Calibration and validation using satellite altimetry data

Lake Turkana is one of the largest desert lakes in the world and is characterized by high degrees of inter- and intra-annual fluctuations. The hydrology and water balance of this lake have not been well understood due to its remote location and unavailability of reliable ground truth datasets. Managing surface water resources is a great challenge in areas where in-situ data are either limited or unavailable. In this study, multi-source satellite-driven data such as satellite-based rainfall estimates, modelled runoff, evapotranspiration, and a digital elevation dataset were used to model Lake Turkana water levels from 1998 to 2009. Due to the unavailability of reliable lake level data, an approach is presented to calibrate and validate the water balance model of Lake Turkana using a composite lake level product of TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, and ENVISAT satellite altimetry data. Model validation results showed that the satellite-driven water balance model can satisfactorily capture the patterns and seasonal variations of the Lake Turkana water level fluctuations with a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.90 and a Nash-Sutcliffe Coefficient of Efficiency (NSCE) of 0.80 during the validation period (2004–2009). Model error estimates were within 10% of the natural variability of the lake. Our analysis indicated that fluctuations in Lake Turkana water levels are mainly driven by lake inflows and over-the-lake evaporation. Over-the-lake rainfall contributes only up to 30% of lake evaporative demand. During the modelling time period, Lake Turkana showed seasonal variations of 1–2 m. The lake level fluctuated in the range up to 4 m between the years 1998–2009. This study demonstrated the usefulness of satellite altimetry data to calibrate and validate the satellite-driven hydrological model for Lake Turkana without using any in-situ data. Furthermore, for Lake Turkana, we identified and outlined opportunities and challenges of using a calibrated satellite-driven water balance model for (i) quantitative assessment of the impact of basin developmental activities on lake levels and for (ii) forecasting lake level changes and their impact on fisheries. From this study, we suggest that globally available satellite altimetry data provide a unique opportunity for calibration and validation of hydrologic models in ungauged basins.

Lake Turkana↗

Approach to data exchange: the spatial data transfer standard

Significant developments have taken place in the disciplines of cartography and geography in recent years with the advent of computer hardware and software that manipulate and process digital cartographic and geographic data more efficiently. The availability of inexpensive and powerful hardware and software systems offers the capability of displaying and analyzing spatial data to a growing number of users. As a result, developing and using existing digital cartographic databases are becoming very popular. However, the absence of uniform standards for the transfer of digital spatial data is hindering the exchange of data and increasing costs. Several agencies of the U.S. government and the academic community have been working hard over the last few years to develop a spatial data transfer standard that includes definitions of standard terminology, a spatial data transfer specification, recommendations on reporting digital cartographic data quality, and standard topographic and hydrographic entity terms and definitions. This proposed standard was published in the January 1988 issue of The American Cartographer. Efforts to test and promote this standard were coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey. A Technical Review Board was appointed with representatives from the U.S. government, the private sector, and the academic community to complete the standard for submittal to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for approval as a Federal Information Processing Standard. The proposed standard was submitted in February 1992 for final approval.

Conference Paper↗

The National Water Data Exchange-capabilities and trends in the dissemination and exchange of water data

This paper discusses the programmes of the National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX) in providing access to US Geological Survey (USGS) water data and water-related information. NAWDEX dissseminates water data and water-related information by working cooperatively through a network of 68 Assistance Centers to more than 430 member organizations. In addition, NAWDEX provides access to the USGS Water Data Storage System (WATSTORE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency's Storage and Retrieval System (STORET). Recently, the trend has been to make water resources data available over the World Wide Web on the Internet. The NAWDEX homepage, located at Uniform Resource Locator http://h2o.er.usgs.gov/public/nawdex/nawdex.html, provides links to (a) Selected Water Resources Abstracts; (b) National Water Conditions Report; (c) historical streamflow data: and (d) real-time streamflow conditions. NAWDEX also transfers data to users over the Internet through the file transfer protocol (FTP).

IAHS-AISH Publication↗

Data availability and the role of the Earth Resources Observation Systems Data Center

With the launch of LANDSAT-1 in July 1972, and the follow-on launch of LANDSAT-2 in January of this year, routine availability of satellite imagery and electronic data of the earth's resources has become a reality. Federal data centers provide LANDSAT data to resource managers and the general public. These data centers have to date provided almost 500,000 frames of LANDSAT data at a cost of more than $2,000,000. Data from the LANDSAT satellite program, along with data and information from the Skylab manned program, are available over any location to anyone for the cost of reproduction.

Conference Paper↗

Incorporating climate data into emergency planning and exercises: A primer for emergency management practioners and data developers

Climate change has and will continue to sharpen climate-related risks to communities and natural resources in California and elsewhere, as the probabilities of more extreme weather, floods, and fires continue to increase. This poses a problem of novel situations for emergency management. Progress has been made in terms of formally incorporating climate projections, data, and research on expected changes in climate-driven hazards into long-term hazard mitigation and climate adaptation strategies at both state and national levels. However, there are fewer examples of how climate change considerations have, or could be, incorporated into shorter-term emergency preparedness and response strategies. This is an important gap to fill, as climate resilience depends not only on mitigation and prevention measures, but also on the ability of agencies to coordinate and effectively minimize impacts when prevention measures fall short. The goal of this primer is to provide guidance on how to incorporate the best available information on climate variability and change into emergency management planning, with a focus on the development and use of extreme weather event scenarios for use in exercises. The first section is aimed toward a broad audience, including emergency management practitioners who use extreme weather event scenarios. It provides an overview of available data and tools that can inform scenario design as well as techniques for scenario design based on the hazard of interest, the audience and application, and the technical skills and resources required to develop, summarize, and/or visualize the data. This section concludes with an overview of approaches and lessons learned related to extreme event response planning and exercise design. Overall, this section highlights the advantages of developing quantitative scenarios based on spatial data, which allows visualizations and interactive data explorations that can provide greater specificity in discussions related to preparedness and response strategies. It further highlights the advantages of developing a core expert working group to guide planning, holding pre-exercise workshops to engage diverse communities outside of the emergency management sector, and engaging decisionmakers post-exercise to communicate key issues and outcomes as well as potential approaches for mitigating consequences that were identified by participants. The second section is aimed toward the scientific community and data developers involved in the creation of extreme weather event scenarios. This section provides technical guidance and detailed descriptions of four types of data resources and five analytical approaches that can be used to create extreme weather event scenarios based on the design considerations highlighted in section one. The computational resources and expertise required varies substantially across the options presented and is a primary consideration. These requirements, in addition to considerations related to audience and application, may determine the novelty and detail of the event, the detail of weather forecast information that can be provided, and the spatial extent across which the event can reasonably be modeled. The importance of, and approaches for, delivering information in a form that is accessible to emergency management practitioners is also discussed.

Report↗

Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma aeromagnetic and gravity maps and data: A web site for distribution of data

The Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma aeromagnetic grid is constructed from grids that combine information collected in 28 separate aeromagnetic surveys conducted between 1954 and 1985. The data from these surveys are of varying quality. The design and specifications (terrain clearance, sampling rates, line spacing, and reduction procedures) varied from survey to survey depending on the purpose of the project and the technology of that time. Every attempt was made to acquire the data in digital form. Most of the available digital data were obtained from aeromagnetic surveys flown by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), flown on contract with the USGS, or were obtained from other Federal agencies and State universities. The Kansas data were flown by and acquired from the Kansas Geological Survey. Some of the 1954, 1963, and 1964 data are available only on hand-contoured maps and had to be digitized. These maps were digitized along flight-line/contour-line intersections, which is considered to be the most accurate method of recovering the original data. All surveys have been continued to 304.8 m (1,000 ft) above ground and then blended or merged together.

Kansas, Nebraska, Okalhoma↗

Arkansas and Louisiana aeromagnetic and gravity maps and data— A website for distribution of data

This report contains digital data, image files, and text files describing data formats for aeromagnetic and gravity data used to compile the State aeromagnetic and gravity maps of Arkansas and Louisiana. The digital files include grids, images, ArcInfo, and Geosoft compatible files. In some of the data folders, ASCII files with the extension 'txt' describe the format and contents of the data files. Read the 'txt' files before using the data files.

Arkansas, Louisiana↗

Water Resources Data for Illinois - Water Year 2005 (Includes Historical Data)

This annual Water-Data Report for Illinois contains current water year (Oct. 1, 2004, to Sept. 30, 2005) and historical data of discharge, stage, water quality and biology of streams; stage of lakes and reservoirs; levels and quality of ground water; and records of precipitation, air temperature, dew point, solar radiation, and wind speed. The current year's (2005) data provided in this report include (1) discharge for 182 surface-water gaging stations and for 9 crest-stage partial-record stations; (2) stage for 33 surface-water gaging stations; (3) water-quality records for 10 surface-water stations; (4) sediment-discharge records for 14 surface-water stations; (5) water-level records for 98 ground-water wells; (6) water-quality records for 17 ground-water wells; (7) precipitation records for 48 rain gages; (8) records of air temperature, dew point, solar radiation and wind speed for 1 meteorological station; and (9) biological records for 6 sample sites. Also included are miscellaneous data collected at various sites not in the systematic data-collection network. Data were collected and compiled as a part of the National Water Information System (NWIS) maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data, Maryland and Delaware, water year 1997, volume 1. surface-water data

Water resources data for the 1997 water year for Maryland and Delaware consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 101 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 17 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 creststage partial-record stations, discharge only for 9 low-flow partial-record stations, and stage only for 7 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland and Delaware.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data, Maryland and Delaware, water year 1998, volume 1. surface-water data

Water resources data for the 1998 water year for Maryland and Delaware consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 105 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 16 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 creststage partial-record stations, discharge only for 9 low-flow partial-record stations, and stage only for 5 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland and Delaware.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C., water year 2000, volume 1. surface-water data

Water resources data for the 2000 water year for Maryland and Delaware consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 121 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 21 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 creststage partial-record stations, discharge only for 27 low-flow partial-record stations, and stage only for 5 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland and Delaware.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data, Maryland and Delaware, water year 2001, volume 1. surface-water data

Water resources data for the 2001 water year for Maryland and Delaware consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 128 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 20 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 creststage partial-record stations and stage only for 10 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland and Delaware.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data for Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C, water year 2002, Volume 1. surface-water data

Water resources data for the 2002 water year for Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 137 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 28 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 crest-stage partial-record stations and stage only for 8 tidal crest-stage partialrecord stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data for Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C, water year 2003, volume 1. surface-water data

Water resources data for the 2003 water year for Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 140 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 17 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 crest-stage partial-record stations and stage only for 10 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.,water year 2005, Volume 1. Surface-water data

Water resources data for the 2005 water year for Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 145 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; stage only for 2 tidal gaging station; and water quality at 19 gaging stations. Also included are stage only for 11 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data, Maryland and Delaware, water year 1999, Volume 1. surface-water data

Water resources data for the 1999 water year for Maryland and Delaware consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 111 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 17 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 creststage partial-record stations, discharge only for 27 low-flow partial-record stations, and stage only for 5 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland and Delaware.

Water Data Report↗

Water resources data, Ohio, water year 1993. Volume 1. Ohio River basin excluding project data

Water-resources data for the 1993 water year for Ohio consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of ground-water wells. This report, in two volumes, contains records for water discharge at 121 gaging stations, 335 wells, and 8 partial-record sites; and water levels at 365 observation wells. Also included are data from miscellaneous sites. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements and analyses. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Ohio.

Ohio↗