John Wesley Powell, one of the early explorers of the western United States and founder of the U.S. Geological Survey, said watersheds are areas “within which all living things are inextricably linked by their common water course.”   Water research is often focused around watersheds and includes management and modeling of water quality and quantity. Remote sensing tools and geographic information systems (GIS) are invaluable in watershed-scale research. SNR watershed research includes:

• vulnerability to agrichemical contamination and erosion from land-use practices
• new techniques for identification of algal toxins  through remote sensing
• watershed classification using GIS and remote sensing
• improved land and watershed management practices