Landsat’s Role in Managing Water Resources
Water is essential for life. A third of Earth’s populace has unreliable access to clean water. With current population growth and environmental trends, the U.N. Environmental Program estimates that 1.8 billion people will face water scarcity by 2025. Water means survival for people and other species we rely upon to thrive, making proper stewardship of our water resources vital. Good decisions require good data. Since 1972 the Landsat series of satellites has been providing such data. Landsat-based decisions on how to manage limited water resources have impacted millions of people worldwide. From finding water for refugees in arid nations to reducing pollution in our national waterways, Landsat enables decisions that directly help people.
Shifting Coastlines in the Arctic
The Arctic is changing rapidly. Recent research unveiled a new dataset of 40 years of coastlines shifting across the Arctic.
Saudi Arabia’s Desert Agriculture
In this animation of 2024 and January 2025, crop fields in Saudi Arabia cycle through their growing seasons.
Landsat at Work: Conserving Water and Growing High Quality Grapes
Using Landsat’s thermal imagery, researchers at Gallo Winery have been able to better understand vineyard water needs and optimize irrigation.
Beyond the Visible: Landsat Next’s New Spectral Bands
With Landsat Next’s 26 new spectral bands, we’ll be able to see our planet like never before. Landsat Next’s enhanced capabilities will provide scientists, farmers, and decision-makers with critical data to tackle global challenges.
Mangroves Are Losing Their Resilience
Mangroves, the iconic trees and shrubs of the Florida Everglades, are under increased stress due to more frequent, intense hurricanes.
Landsat Plumbs the (Shallow) Depths
Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey have developed a new way to measure ocean depth, or bathymetry, in shallow nearshore environments using Landsat data.
