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Researchers FutureWater company, a spin-off of the Technical University of Cartagena (UPCT) have launched InfoSequía portal, which enables the weekly monitoring of drought with maps and satellite indicators that complement hydrological drought indices used by the hydrographic confederations.

"Since late 2013, FutureWater working on the design and operation of a multitool platform for Integrated Drought Management (GEISEQ) for the detection and monitoring of drought in quasi real time," explains Sergio Contreras.

"Following the latest recommendations from the scientific community and advocating for the complementary use of different indicators, GEISEQ incorporates information from different satellite drought indices to characterize the impact of low rainfall on soil moisture and vegetation productivity "adds the researcher of the company, of which it forms part UPCT teachers.

InfoSequía (http://infosequia.es) offers weekly newsletters with information on drought indices calculated for the Iberian Peninsula basis using satellite data provided by MODIS sensors of the North American Space Agency (NASA).

GEISEQ anomalies calculated indices characterizing the deviations of the observed satellite variable (index green vegetation or surface temperature) from the average value measured over a period taken as a reference.

The indicators of scarcity of water in the soil and crops (agricultural soil or drought) calculated by FutureWater possible to anticipate, and thus gain time for management, hydrological drought situations resulting from a shortage of water in reservoirs, rivers and aquifers.

The indicators used in InfoSequía complement the existing Global System drought indicators on which the Special Drought Plans are based.

Extra information in the Segura Basin

For the Segura River Basin, considered pilot project in GEISEQ basin, the mapping information is complemented with interactive information on the severity of the impact of drought on the productivity of rainfed agriculture (arable crops and vines).

GEISEQ is a project funded by the European Social Fund through the Torres Quevedo Programme of the Directorate General for Technical and Scientific Research of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the Government of Spain.

Source: UPCT