Data Collection via Satellite for Water Management

The U.S. Geological Survey is utilizing satellite data relay to automate the timely acquisition and distribution of hydrologic data from more than 200 remote data-collection sites. This activity has been part of a nationwide study program carried out for more than 8 years. In that period, satellite telemetry has proven to be reponsive, flexible, reliable and, when compared with other telemetry systems, cost effective. The use of satellites to telemeter data from remote locations results in the following: real-time hydrologic data being made available to water-data users, reduced site visits for manual retrieval of data, and the ability of the data collector to monitor instrumentation operation and hydrologic conditions at unmanned sites. A Geological Survey economic study projecting the availability of real-time data for flood warning and irrigation water management forecasts that the accumulated benefits derived from use of those data outweigh the added costs of providing the telemetry system.