Where is the Water? A GLOBE Observer Data Challenge

01 May to 31 May 2023

Short link to this page: https://observer.globe.gov/water-challenge-2023

The Where is the Water? A GLOBE Observer Data Challenge has concluded. Download a customizable certificate of participation (PDF) to print or share on social media.

Water is dynamic. Shorelines shift and rivers twist. Plants cover water edges, changing the shape and character of water bodies. Water accumulates during rain and evaporates during drought. From vast oceans to a few drops in a bucket, some bodies of water persist for many years, while others last just long enough for mosquito larvae to grow into adults. For scientists studying Earth’s water from space, the boundary between land and water is not always easy to map, and small areas of water may not be visible at all.

Help us provide context and a point of reference for scientists by documenting water in the landscape and mapping mosquito habitats found there.

How to participate:

1. Download the GLOBE Observer app and register an account.
2. Look for water in the environment around you, especially the edges between land and water, and take a GLOBE Land Cover observation. Put the tag "#water" in the field notes. Remember, always follow guidelines from your local officials, and only participate in GLOBE activities or use the GLOBE Observer app if it is safe to do so.
3. Use the Mosquito Habitat Mapper tool to document the water as a potential mosquito habitat.

Events and videos:

Live webinars:

• 04 May 2023: Our topic for the May GLOBE Observer Connect, a new series of short conversations about GLOBE data, science, and the latest updates, will focus on water and land cover during the first week of the challenge. Many factors can influence water bodies, including land cover change, seasons, and climate change. Land cover scientist Peder Nelson will lead a conversation based on this month’s science blog about why we want to know where water is and how that relates to land cover and satellite science. Watch a recording of the May GO Connect session .
• 09 May 2023: Tune in for a webinar on "The State of Trees May 2023: Looking at Land Cover and River Deltas with the NASA Delta-X Mission, including a Discussion of Global Surface Water, Mangrove Science, and Trees with Wet Feet" to hear Dr. Marc Simard, Senior Research Scientist and Principal Investigator for the NASA Delta-X Mission, at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California USA. During this webinar, Dr. Simard will discuss how river deltas and their wetlands are drowning as a result of sea level rise and reduced sediment inputs and how the Delta-X mission determines which parts will survive and continue to grow, and which parts will be lost. The webinar is part of the Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign. Watch a recording of the May Trees Around the GLOBE webinar .

Past webinars:

• The April Trees Around the GLOBE Webinar  was also relevant to water, specifically on the topic of the NASA Surface Water and Open Topography (SWOT) Mission and how it aligns to water edges and land cover. Dr. Ben Hamlington, Research Scientist in the Sea Level and Ice Group, in the Earth Sciences Section at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California USA discussed the NASA SWOT Mission, NASA's first global survey satellite of Earth's surface water, providing data for clean air and water, extreme events, and long-term environmental changes. Following Dr. Hamlington's presentation, Peder Nelson discussed how this mission aligns to the Where is the Water? Data Challenge, focusing on water edges, land cover, and mosquito habitats.

In addition, we'll be releasing weekly social media videos on topics related to the challenge:

• Bonus! 28 April 2023 - Pre-Challenge How to Participate Video 
• 03 May 2023 - Where is the Water? Challenge Teaser Video 
• 10 May 2023 - Water and Land Cover - Peder Nelson, science lead for GLOBE Observer: Land Cover 
• 17 May 2023 - Agents of Change: GLOBE in Near East and North Africa - Students in Oman attempt to find a solution to an issue affecting local farmers: low water levels and soil salinity.
• 24 May 2023 - Looking for Mosquito Habitats - Dr. Rusty Low, science lead for GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper
• 31 May 2023 - Agents of Change: GLOBE in Latin America - Luis, age 9, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, develops a passion for exploring the habitats and life cycles of mosquitoes, and takes measures to eradicate the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in his community.

Open the data dashboard in a new tab.   

Selected Activities and Resources Related to Land Cover and Mosquito Habitats:

Visit the Land Cover Resource Library and the Mosquito Habitats Resource Library for more.