Future Plans of Ram Ray's Spatial Hydrology Group

Thank you to Mr. Hancock for providing a comprehensive explanation. However, for those who prefer a concise summary, here are the highlights:

Accomplishments

The Spatial Hydrology Group, under the leadership of Dr. Ram Ray, has accomplished great work over the past and is now planning further advancements as of December 8, 2020.

Completed Projects

Impact of anthropogenic and natural changes on natural resources and the environment - Co-PI, USD 321,800, funded by USDA NIFA (2014-2018) Experimental Approach to Study Water Quality and Water Conservation in an Agricultural Watershed - PI, USD 20,000, funded by the Office of Research at Prairie View AM University (2016) Use Landsat and Sentinel Satellite Images to Identify Inundation/Flood Zones - Evaluation of climate change impacts on agriculture and adaptation measures in Texas, Co-PI, USD 20,000, funded by the Office of Research at Prairie View AM University (2016)

Future Plans

The group, led primarily by Dr. Ram Ray, has outlined several strategic initiatives to further their research and development. Here are the key projects they are planning to undertake:

Developing a Comprehensive Hydrologic Database

From 2001 to 2020, they plan to develop a satellite and hydrologic database for the proposed watershed. This involves:

Estimating daily surface runoff using hydrologic and satellite data and SWAT Identifying inundation/flood zones during extreme rainfall events using Landsat and Sentinel satellite images Using estimated runoff and flood maps to develop a methodological framework for flood management

Student Workforce Development Efforts

A significant focus will be on enhancing the educational experience of students and expanding their professional skills:

Delivering workforce development experiences for students to increase their knowledge and engagement Providing experiential learning opportunities for soft skills development and leadership training Generating projected daily climate forcing data using combined GCM and stochastic downscaling models for the periods 2030s, 2050s, and 2090s

Quantifying Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture

The group aims to evaluate the impacts of climate change on crop water requirements, crop nutrient requirements, and soil and water quality for major crops:

Demonstrate these quantifications for cotton, corn, and sorghum in the Brazos River Watershed Continue to collect, analyze, and quantify long-term spatio-temporal climatic and hydrologic data of different interest scales Downscale GCM projections to different spatial scales using a nonlinear statistical approach

Enhancing Extension and Outreach Activities

They plan to:

Develop a farm testbed at the college's demonstration farm for extension and outreach activities, enhancing research capacity in NRES Evaluate various adaptation measures, such as changes in irrigation and nutrient application rates, and their impacts on crop yield and soil and water quality Develop and validate a mobile web app called IrrigWise for real-time irrigation scheduling Run outreach programs, such as training sessions, livestream videos, and seminar presentations to demonstrate the usage of these technologies

Conducting Sensitivity Analyses and Model Developments

The group aims to:

Conduct sensitivity analyses, calibration, and validation of integrated models at the watershed and cropping system scale Continue monitoring soil moisture and nutrient for irrigation and nutrient management Develop practical recommendations and further training for stakeholders

These plans outline the group's comprehensive approach to spatial hydrology and its future impact on agricultural research and management. For more detailed information, please refer to Mr. Hancock's detailed answer.