Dec. 17, 2009 In a pilot project that could help better manage
the planet's strained natural resources, space-age technologies
are helping a Washington state community monitor its water
availability. NASA satellites and sensors are providing the
information needed to make more accurate river flow predictions
on a daily basis. "World leaders are struggling to protect
natural resources for future generations," said Jeff Ward, a
senior research scientist at the Department of Energy's Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory, which is managed by Battelle.
"These tools help us sustainably use natural resources while
balancing environmental, cultural and economic concerns." Ward
manages a project on behalf of Battelle that is helping to
better predict the flow of the Dungeness River, near Sequim,
Wash., with data collected by NASA instruments. The project
started by creating a new model that predicts river flows in the
river's surrounding valley. It then expanded to help other
communities in Kansas, Maine, Oregon and