Description
Flooding presents both operational challenges and safety risks for growers and ranchers. Flooded ground can be hazardous, and it is often difficult to determine how much land is affected and how long water has been present. This self-paced ARSET Skills Launchpad demonstrates how to use free NASA satellite data and tools to identify where surface water is—or was—located on a field, including under cloud cover and at night. The Launchpad consists of a StoryMap Lesson and a hands-on Skills Lab within our Learning Management System, which together teach users how to generate imagery to inform their own decisions.
Throughout the Skills Launchpad, participants will walk through a case study from Grubbs, Arkansas in April 2025. Participants will use Water Index and Surface Water Extent data products from NASA Worldview to explore flooding extent and duration. Participants will also learn to locate a field in a web map, view surface-water data from before, during, and after a flood event, and interpret two complementary NASA data products: HLS-NDWI and OPERA DSWx-S1. The material covers a comparison method for distinguishing actual flooding from false detections, evaluating water duration against crop tolerance, and applying these findings to data-driven decisions such as establishing a baseline, prioritizing field inspections, and documenting crop loss.
No coding, software, or prior remote-sensing experience is required. Participants need only a device with a web browser. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of both the Lesson and Lab.
Prior Knowledge and Experience
- No remote sensing experience required
- Recommend practical knowledge of:
- Weather and climate
- Map reading
- Effects of flooding on soil type
- Crops and growing seasons
- Inundated vegetation and flooding tolerance
Objectives
Users will:
- Explore imagery of flooded farms using the NASA Worldview web tool
- Compare tradeoffs between reflected light and lidar imagery
- Interpret data values and ground observations using NASA Worldview
- Relate selected flood data products to agricultural field management decisions
- Identify ways to share satellite imagery in Worldview for a selected region and time period
Target Audience
- Commodity and speciality farmers, agronomists, ranchers, and others interested in agriculture
Format
This Skills Launchpad is divided into two parts: a Lesson and a Lab. Complete both parts to receive a Certificate of Participation.