Comparison of Satellite-Based Soil Moisture Estimates
and Rainfall Data for a New Mexico Watershed

Background Study Area Data Methods Results & Conclusions

Antecedent soil moisture conditions play an important role in the generation of runoff and present a source of considerable uncertainty for hydrologic analyses in dryland catchments. Prior knowledge about moisture conditions could improve runoff predictions and flood risk forecasts. Tracking soil moisture along with rainfall and discharge could also aid with calibration of hydrologic models and reduce the uncertainty of model results. Many important policy decisions such as watershed management, infrastructure design and flood plain delineation rely on hydrologic simulations. Improved models therefore have a direct impact on both the allocation of public resources and public safety. This study compares remotely sensed soil moisture measurements to radar and gage-based precipitation data for a watershed in central New Mexico for a one-month period in 2018. The objective was to assess whether soil moisture and precipitation data are correlated, and if measured rainfall can be used as a proxy for soil moisture conditions.