Update: We’ve Been Busy

We haven’t posted news for awhile due to heavy workload, and this is to bring those interested up to date on a few items.  As previously reported, we integrated the OMS (model) and CSIP (model/data service) framework with the eRAMS geospatial platform, and this past May moved eRAMS to production.  Users (if not already registered) can get accounts, create projects and run a suite of water management-related applications.

The OMS team remains on track to deliver CSIP computational and data services for grazing management and water quality assessment to NRCS in support of their resource stewardship evaluation and next generation conservation planning applications.  The services currently are going through the regression testing and hardening phase with delivery scheduled this fall.

The OMS team has the new end-to-end next generation water supply forecasting process operational for testing by the NRCS National Water and Climate Center.  We have been able to get de-trended kriging processing for a forecast basin from 20 hours down to about 10 minutes using the CSIP VM Scaler.

We continue to work on and refine the Integrated Erosion Tool (IET) for the NRCS, which runs water erosion (RUSLE2), wind erosion and air particulates (WEPS), soil condition index (SCI), and soil tillage intensity rating (STIR) CSIP model/computational services having inputs from land management (LMOD), soil (SSURGO), and climate CSIP data services.  This intertwines with the Keystone Center Field to Market Fieldprint Calculator access to many of the same services.  Field to Market expects as many as 50 million acres to be assessed for sustainability in 2016.  NRCS expects to deploy IET for use by their county field offices in 2016.  Working with the ARS National Soil Erosion Lab the OMS Team will deploy the WEPP water erosion model as an OMS/CSIP service early next year, eventually replacing RUSLE2.  WEPP and WEPS are more closely related, sharing architectural components.

eRAMS/OMS/CSIP provides the platform for application development supporting the new EPA-funded CLEAN Center focused on nutrient management technology development.  CSU and North Carolina State University have lead roles.  The platform also will support the new Urban Water Sustainability Research Network involving CSU and five other universities.  More details to follow.