Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.1. Sources of data for water-budget components within the United States. (H is hourly; D is
daily; W is weekly; M is monthly; NOAA is National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; NASA is
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; USBR is the US Bureau of Reclamation; CIMIS is the
California Irrigation Management Information System; USGS is the US Geological Survey; NRCS is the
Natural Resources Conservation Service.) All websites accessed August 25, 2009.
Component
Freq.
Locations
Source
Description and reference
Precipitation
HDM
Gauge sites,
US
NOAA
Current/historical: http://www.ncdc.noaa.
gov/oa/ncdc.html
Precipitation
D
4-km grid, US
NOAA
Current/historical (2005-present). MPE
interpolates using surface gauge and radar
data: http://water.weather.gov
Precipitation
D
1-km grid, US
Daymet
Historical (1980-1997). Interpolated from
NOAA surface data. Temperature, humid-
ity, and radiation also available: http://www.
daymet.org
Precipitation
M
4-km grid, US
Prism
Historical: Interpolated from NOAA
surface data accounting for elevation.
Temperature also available: http://www.
prism.oregonstate.edu
Precipitation
DM
25-km grid,
worldwide
NASA
Current/historical (2003-present).
AMSR-E radiometer aboard AQUA satel-
lite: http://nsidc.org/data/amsre/
Evapotranspiration
D
Gauge sites
NOAA
Current/historical. Pan evaporation: http://
www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html
Evapotranspiration
D
Gauge sites,
northwestern
US
USBR
Current/historical. PET and other climate
data: http://www.usbr.gov/pn/agrimet/
Evapotranspiration
D
Gauge sites,
CA
CIMIS
Current/historical. PET and other climate
data: http://www.cimis.water.ca.gov/
Evapotranspiration
D
2-km grid, FL
USGS
Current/historical (1995-present). PET and
ET
o
: http://fl.water.usgs.gov
Streamflow/stream
stage
HD
Stream
gauges, US
USGS
Current/historical: http://water.usgs.gov
Snow depth/water
content
D
Gauge sites
western US
NRCS
SNOTEL
Current/historical: http://www.wcc.nrcs.
usda.gov/snow/
Snow depth/water
content
D
25-km grid,
worldwide
NASA
Current/historical. AMSR-E radiometer
aboard AQUA satellite: http://nsidc.org/
data/amsre/
Soil-water content
W
Gauge sites,
worldwide
Global
Soil
Moisture
Bank
Historical. Compendium of measurements
at worldwide locations: http://climate.
envsci.rutgers.edu/soil_moisture/
Soil-water content
HD
Gauge sites,
US
NRCS
SCAN
Current/historical: http://www.wcc.nrcs.
usda.gov/scan/
Groundwater
levels
D
Gauge sites,
US
USGS
Current/historical: http://water.usgs.gov
