Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2008MS73B

Multi-scale Evaluation and Analysis of Precipitation Patterns over the Mississippi Delta

Institute: Mississippi
Year Established: 2008 Start Date: 2008-03-01 End Date: 2009-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $12,658 Total Non-Federal Funds: $40,650

Principal Investigators: Jamie Dyer

Abstract: The Mississippi River floodplain in northwestern Mississippi, often referred to as the Mississippi Delta, is extremely important for regional economic stability and growth due to the widespread agriculture in the area. The region is unique in that there are currently three sources of precipitation measurements available: (1) radar-derived precipitation estimates from National Weather Service (NWS) NEXRAD network, surface observations from NWS recording stations, and surface observations from US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) recording stations. In terms of water resource management and climatological precipitation research, quantitatively defining the biases associated with available precipitation data sources is critical in choosing which source to use for a given application. Additionally, due to the importance of precipitation in agriculture along with recent drought in the Mississippi Delta region, precipitation patterns should be reevaluated in terms of duration frequency, and extent. The inclusion of long-term data from surface gages along with shorter-term but higher resolution radar-derived rainfall estimates allow for a detailed analysis of past and current precipitation trends. This will lead to a better understanding of rainfall trends and patterns and potentially better prediction of future rainfall.