Benefits of GEOSS in Nevada

In Nevada, Earth Observations will:

Provide the state and tribes critical land cover data as they pertain to invasive plants and noxious weeds, which in turn provides the basis for understanding impacts to grazing allotments and agricultural activity.

Aid in meteorological predictions of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and long-term cyclic weather patterns resulting in high and low water years. This will aid states and tribes in managing drought years, major spring floods, and water quality and quantity levels in streams and lakes.

Overall, the 1997-1998 El Niño is estimated to have had total U.S. economic impacts on the order of $25 billion.¹

Benefit agriculture by monitoring soil moisture content, rates of fertilizer application, field fertility, and plant diseases, thereby making sustainable agriculture more manageable for both large and small scale farmers.

Track smoke plume direction and air quality effects from wild and hazardous material fires. Earth observations will also allow prediction of emergency costs for lost property and habitat, fire fighting, rebuilding, and the economic costs of human health impacts from smoke inhalation.

Severe fire seasons due to drought and frequent winds can result in billions of dollars in damages. The Western Fire Season of Spring-Summer 2000 resulted in nearly seven million acres burned and an estimated $2 billion in damage costs (includes fire suppression).²

Assist western states in tracking transcontinental and international pollutants.

Further promote the United States' ability to use satellite data, models, and monitoring observations to help state officials to maintain air quality standards for ground level ozone.

It is estimated that 31 million Americans including 9 million children have asthma. Ground level ozone in the summer time is the chief cause for poor air quality warnings and human exposure to ozone is known to aggravate asthma. Another component of air, airborne particulate matter, is associated with increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for people with heart and lung disease and increased work and school absences.³

Children with asthma miss more than 14 million school days annually and asthma accounts for an estimated 14.5 million lost work days per year.⁴

In 2000, the 15 states with the highest rates of current asthma prevalence were Arizona, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.⁵

Monitor snow moisture and water runoff, particularly in areas that receive a major portion of their river and stream waters from mountain snow packs.

Provide land use and land cover data and information to understand changes in vegetation, wildlife habitat, fire conditions, rangeland, cultural and aesthetic values, and their influence on water quality and environmental economics.

Protect watersheds through water quality monitoring and mapping of land cover changes, thereby protecting sources of water for agriculture, forestry, and human uses.

Monitor local ground water supplies and surrounding facilities to protect groundwater resources.

Groundwater provides about 40 percent of the total water supply used in Nevada, and groundwater is the sole supply source in some regions.⁶

¹ Changnon, Stanley A., ed. El Niño 1997-1998; The Climate Event of the Century, Oxford University Press, 2000.

² Economic Impacts of Drought and the Benefits of NOAA's Drought Forecasting Services, NOAA Magazine, September 17, 2002. Website: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/magazine/stories/mag51.htm.

³ U.S. Centers for Disease Control

⁴ CDC. Surveillance for asthma: United States, 1980-1999. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2002;51(SS01):1-13

⁵ CDC. Self-reported asthma prevalence among adults: United States, 2000. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 17, 2001;50(32):682-686.

⁶ Nevada Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

Benefits of GEOSS in Nevada

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