NASA Monitoring Chile's Irrigation Supplies
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Government
An Agreement Between NASA and Chile's Agriculture Ministry Means that NASA will Survey Snow Levels in the Andes Range
As part of an agreement between NASA and Chile's agriculture ministry, the US agency will survey accumulated snow in the Andes range, the main source of irrigation water in Atacama.
NASA satellites TERRA and AQUA will measure, on a daily basis, snow levels in the area.
"We aim to complement our work with the world's best technology and bring it to Chile, allowing us to plan the use of the best and most efficient irrigation technology in the future," Chile's national resources information center (Ciren) head, Juan Pablo López, said in a statement.
Atacama is one of Chile's driest regions, where water demand outstrips supply sometimes by as much as 10 times.
The country is in the grip of asevere droughtthathas depleted reservoirsand forced the government to make water scarcity relief efforts in dozens of towns across the country.
President Michelle Bachelet proposed amendments to thenation's water codein order to make human consumption and sanitation a priority. The proposed reform would make it possible to temporarily limit water rights under special circumstances, such as during times of drought.
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