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How Innovative Tech Helps Fight California’s Drought | National Geographic


we know that we’re in some say once in a

we know that we’re in some say once in a 1200 year drought right now we don’t

1200 year drought right now we don’t

1200 year drought right now we don’t know when we’re gonna come out of this

know when we’re gonna come out of this

know when we’re gonna come out of this we don’t do this kind of mapping you

we don’t do this kind of mapping you

we don’t do this kind of mapping you know your average non scientist or

know your average non scientist or

know your average non scientist or citizen isn’t going to know what’s going

citizen isn’t going to know what’s going

citizen isn’t going to know what’s going on unless we can bring it to them to

on unless we can bring it to them to

on unless we can bring it to them to their living rooms what we wanted to do

their living rooms what we wanted to do

their living rooms what we wanted to do was build our own systems that we’re

was build our own systems that we’re

was build our own systems that we’re going to be more deeply tuned to

going to be more deeply tuned to

going to be more deeply tuned to questions that we have about the status

questions that we have about the status

questions that we have about the status of our forests and how those are

of our forests and how those are

of our forests and how those are changing over time between 2011 and 2015

changing over time between 2011 and 2015

changing over time between 2011 and 2015 we built CA o3 which is a new very

we built CA o3 which is a new very

we built CA o3 which is a new very high-tech airborne laboratory including

high-tech airborne laboratory including

high-tech airborne laboratory including a new aircraft and it allows us to map

a new aircraft and it allows us to map

a new aircraft and it allows us to map massive areas at very very high spatial

massive areas at very very high spatial

massive areas at very very high spatial resolution in 3d and also lets us

resolution in 3d and also lets us

resolution in 3d and also lets us understand the chemical composition of

understand the chemical composition of

understand the chemical composition of in this case tree canopies in deeper

in this case tree canopies in deeper

in this case tree canopies in deeper detail than we’ve ever been able to do

detail than we’ve ever been able to do

detail than we’ve ever been able to do before

before

before so we’re sweeping the land in total 3d

so we’re sweeping the land in total 3d

so we’re sweeping the land in total 3d like an MRI in a sense

like an MRI in a sense

like an MRI in a sense we are on the frontier of new

we are on the frontier of new

we are on the frontier of new information that hasn’t been available

information that hasn’t been available

information that hasn’t been available to managers conservation people policy

to managers conservation people policy

to managers conservation people policy decision makers this is sexy south can

decision makers this is sexy south can

decision makers this is sexy south can you just go to that area the different

you just go to that area the different

you just go to that area the different groups that are using different

groups that are using different

groups that are using different technologies will be key to connecting

technologies will be key to connecting

technologies will be key to connecting with other people who are doing forced

with other people who are doing forced

with other people who are doing forced cover analysis and then our work on

cover analysis and then our work on

cover analysis and then our work on what’s going on in the forest it’s

what’s going on in the forest it’s

what’s going on in the forest it’s pretty shocking to sit here and watch

pretty shocking to sit here and watch

pretty shocking to sit here and watch the state dry out grace stands for a

the state dry out grace stands for a

the state dry out grace stands for a Gravity Recovery and climate experiment

Gravity Recovery and climate experiment

Gravity Recovery and climate experiment it’s a mission that is composed of two

it’s a mission that is composed of two

it’s a mission that is composed of two satellites and they follow each other

satellites and they follow each other

satellites and they follow each other around the system is designed to work

around the system is designed to work

around the system is designed to work like a scale in the sky and with respect

like a scale in the sky and with respect

like a scale in the sky and with respect to water what happens is this as the

to water what happens is this as the

to water what happens is this as the satellites orbit around they’re

satellites orbit around they’re

satellites orbit around they’re following each other around they’re

following each other around they’re

following each other around they’re orbiting around the globe when they

orbiting around the globe when they

orbiting around the globe when they encounter an area that has more water

encounter an area that has more water

encounter an area that has more water mass on the ground that region exerts a

mass on the ground that region exerts a

mass on the ground that region exerts a greater gravitational tug on the

greater gravitational tug on the

greater gravitational tug on the satellites and pulls them down just a

satellites and pulls them down just a

satellites and pulls them down just a little bit closer to the earth

when the satellites fly over a region

when the satellites fly over a region like the Central Valley in California

like the Central Valley in California

like the Central Valley in California that is experiencing a tremendous amount

that is experiencing a tremendous amount

that is experiencing a tremendous amount of groundwater depletion or a lot of

of groundwater depletion or a lot of

of groundwater depletion or a lot of water loss because of a drought and that

water loss because of a drought and that

water loss because of a drought and that region is exerting less of a

region is exerting less of a

region is exerting less of a gravitational tug on the two satellites

gravitational tug on the two satellites

gravitational tug on the two satellites and the satellites float just a little

and the satellites float just a little

and the satellites float just a little bit higher in each of these last four

bit higher in each of these last four

bit higher in each of these last four years California has lost about 15 cubic

years California has lost about 15 cubic

years California has lost about 15 cubic kilometers of water pretty sad but this

kilometers of water pretty sad but this

kilometers of water pretty sad but this is exactly what’s happening to our state

is exactly what’s happening to our state

is exactly what’s happening to our state so grace kind of gives us an overall

so grace kind of gives us an overall

so grace kind of gives us an overall picture in the region but work like Tom

picture in the region but work like Tom

picture in the region but work like Tom painters ASO will help us understand and

painters ASO will help us understand and

painters ASO will help us understand and much more detail at far greater

much more detail at far greater

much more detail at far greater resolution how much of what we’re seeing

resolution how much of what we’re seeing

resolution how much of what we’re seeing is is a snow signal the airborne snow

is is a snow signal the airborne snow

is is a snow signal the airborne snow Observatory is a combined spectrometer

Observatory is a combined spectrometer

Observatory is a combined spectrometer and laser altimeter the spectrometer

and laser altimeter the spectrometer

and laser altimeter the spectrometer tells us how much sunlight is absorbed

tells us how much sunlight is absorbed

tells us how much sunlight is absorbed by the mountain snowpack which is what

by the mountain snowpack which is what

by the mountain snowpack which is what controls snowmelt about 90 to 95 percent

controls snowmelt about 90 to 95 percent

controls snowmelt about 90 to 95 percent of the energy that melts snow comes from

of the energy that melts snow comes from

of the energy that melts snow comes from absorb sunlight and then with the laser

absorb sunlight and then with the laser

absorb sunlight and then with the laser altimeter we can tell how deep snow is

altimeter we can tell how deep snow is

altimeter we can tell how deep snow is the plane flies on a weekly basis which

the plane flies on a weekly basis which

the plane flies on a weekly basis which is about the amount of time needed to

is about the amount of time needed to

is about the amount of time needed to let the snowpack do its thing make some

let the snowpack do its thing make some

let the snowpack do its thing make some change its timely information for the

change its timely information for the

change its timely information for the water managers to be able to know what

water managers to be able to know what

water managers to be able to know what the total volume is in the snowpack how

the total volume is in the snowpack how

the total volume is in the snowpack how it’s changed from last week and so now

it’s changed from last week and so now

it’s changed from last week and so now we turn the products around in about 20

we turn the products around in about 20

we turn the products around in about 20 hours I think all of these technologies

hours I think all of these technologies

hours I think all of these technologies work together and now it’s up to our

work together and now it’s up to our

work together and now it’s up to our community and to the leaders of the

community and to the leaders of the

community and to the leaders of the science community to help us get

science community to help us get

science community to help us get together to paint one integrative

together to paint one integrative

together to paint one integrative picture they’re listening they’re

picture they’re listening they’re

picture they’re listening they’re watching and they’re they’re actually

watching and they’re they’re actually

watching and they’re they’re actually very hungry for information

very hungry for information

very hungry for information keeps us motivated to produce as fast as

keeps us motivated to produce as fast as

keeps us motivated to produce as fast as we can

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