NASA Helping Farmers Save Water

NASA Helping Farmers Save Water

Wouldn't it be nice if there were "smart irrigation systems" available for farmers that would ensure more efficient water usage. Guess who saw the need and are developing a computer program to do just that, NASA. With nearly seventy percent of the U.S. water supply being used for crop irrigation helping farmers to better manage their irrigation systems is not only important, its crucial to the nation's water supply. Right now farmers in California are partaking in an eighteen-month research project to make irrigation management as effective as possible. What an incredible boon this will be if farmers can simply check their cell phones or iPads to see satellite images of their fields with various data points overlaid on top, and have connection to their drip-irrigation system for "touch of a finger control". With a glance they'll be able to know which field areas need more or less water, and deal with it accordingly. The software being used is an extension of NASA's Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System; using satellites to collect weather information, surface observations and crop development. The satellite view for the future of farming looks very exciting indeed.
Previous ReportGroup Housing
Next ReportFun While It Lasted