Science partnerships with the IWJV are quantifying spatio-temporal dynamics and trends of surface water, wetlands, and irrigated habitats across the region to inform local and regional habitat conservation and management strategies.

COLORADO

Managing risk and maximizing return; decision support for conservation of Colorado’s dynamic wetland landscapes (Technical report)

IDAHO

Managing risk and maximizing return; decision support for conservation of Idaho’s dynamic wetland landscapes (Technical report)

OREGON

Synchronizing conservation to seasonal wetland hydrology and waterbird migration in semi‐arid landscapes (June 2, 2019)
This publication was one of five U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Remote Sensing activities highlighted by the Department of the Interior in 2019.

WASHINGTON

Reconstructing semi-arid wetland surface water dynamics through spectral mixture analysis of a time series of Landsat satellite images (1984–2011) (February 26, 2016)

Science Meeting the Needs of Continental Bird Migration 

IWJV science fills an important niche that addresses needs of migratory birds throughout their annual life cycle. This approach can be challenging because migrating birds are reliant on habitat spanning hundreds of miles, crossing state and international boundaries. To monitor conditions at important migratory sites, scientists use satellites that continually take pictures of the Earth’s surface. Satellite monitoring of wetlands is particularly valuable because drought can dramatically alter habitat availability for waterbirds moving across the arid Intermountain West. 

Technology advancements over the last five years have greatly improved our ability to view and understand long-term patterns of wetland flooding. For example, foundational research in this arena was conducted by Dr. Meghan Halabisky in eastern Washington and Dr. Huiran Jin in the Delmarva Peninsula of the eastern United States. These research findings enabled the IWJV to develop more efficient methods of estimating wetland dynamics which has since been used to improve conservation efficiency for Pacific Flyway waterfowl.