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UMRBPP
The Upper Missouri River Basin (UMRB) Pilot Project encompasses interactive modeling and observational studies of the coupled atmosphere-surface-subsurface hydrology of the Black Hills area of South Dakota and Wyoming. This NASA sponsored project emphasizes coupled hydrologic modeling of Intermediate Scale Areas (ISA) in orographic terrain, the use of observations of differing temporal and spatial resolutions to assess ambient variability as well as model and budget uncertainties and sensitivities, intercomparison of sensors, and the transferability of models from the Black Hills ISA to other ISAs. Execution of this project is being coordinated with GEWEX Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) activities such as the GCIP Large Scale-Northwest (LSA-NW) study. The objectives of this project are to: 1. Assess the importance of "deep" groundwater in subsurface aquifers to water budgets and water resources in the LSA-NW. 2. Determine the resolution required in atmospheric and coupled models to represent adequately precipitation and other components of the water budget in orographic terrain. Examine sensitivities and important spatial scales for impacts due to variations in evapotranspiration and moisture advection. 3. Determine the uncertainties in atmospheric components of the water budgets on ISA and larger scales in orographic terrain. For more information, link to "http://www.ias.sdsmt.edu/umrb/index.htm" [Summary provided by South Dakota School of Mines and Technology]