Digital Mapping: QuickDRI quickly identifies Flash Drought

"I'm very positive about the future of GIS. It's the right technology at the right time. When I think of all the major problems that we face throughout the world today—overpopulation, food shortages, reduced agricultural production, adverse climate change, poverty—these are all quintessentially geographic problems. These problems are all concerned with the human relationship to the land, and this is where GIS can make its biggest contribution. GIS is the technology of our times and is uniquely suited to assist in solving the problems that we face."

-Dr. Roger F. Tomilson, Father of GIS

Saturday, 22 July 2017

QuickDRI quickly identifies Flash Drought

Quick Drought Response Index, or QuickDRI, went operational in June 2017 as a weekly drought alarm, providing improved sensitivity to early-stage drought conditions and rapidly evolving drought events. QuickDRI relies on a number of remotely-sensed indicators. Decades of satellite data housed at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science, or EROS, Center provide a resource for assessing abnormal vegetation and climate conditions over a longer historical period. QuickDRI was funded through a $1.3 million grant from NASA’s Applied Sciences for Water Resources program and supported with matching funds from the USGS Land Remote Sensing Program.

“QuickDRI fills a gap in drought monitoring because of its sensitivity to short-term changes, We expect it to be especially helpful for decisions related to irrigation and fire management.”said Jesslyn Brown, a project co-investigator and lead for QuickDRI operations at the U.S. Geological Survey.