The Millbrook Temporary Network

In May of 2013, a joint experiment by HRSL, NOAA-ATDD, City College of New York, and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies was established to study large scale soil moisture distribution.  In addition, this temporary network will support the calibration and validation of a long term soil moisture network begun by City College of New York as part of the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission program.

Shown above, this temporary network consists of 25 small soil moisture stations which will monitor volumetric soil moisture at a depth of 5 cm over a domain of 9 km by 9 km.  Located at the center of the cluster of sites is a Climate Reference Network station which is replicated throughout the U.S. An example of a station is shown below.

This station consists of a small dielectric probe at a depth of 5 cm and some stations, such as this one, have a precipitation gage as well to provide a deeper understanding of the precipitation distribution in this region of upstate New York.

The Climate Reference Network station is available here.

For more information contact: Michael Cosh, Research Hydrologist