File:Real-Time Water Management in the Rockies.png

English: Snowmelt is an important part of the freshwater system in Colorado, so government agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency’s (NOAA) Colorado Basin River Forecast Center have increasingly turned to satellite and airborne snow measurements for better runoff forecasting. In addition to using NASA information that shows the percentage of land covered by snow, the center also incorporates satellite data about snow surface conditions that can speed up its melt rate—such as the presence of dust, soot, and other materials that absorb solar energy. Incorporating data like this, helps narrow discrepancies between computer model estimates and ground observations of streamflow, giving greater confidence to the forecasts.

Link to learn more: www.nasa.gov/SpaceforUS/stories/co.html

Credit: NASA/ Thaddeus Cesari