GPS-Based Storage Forecasts

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Young Geodetic Solutions provides GPS-based outlooks for regional water-storage conditions. Existing GPS stations move slightly up and down as water mass changes across a landscape. By combining these observations with recent hydrologic conditions and historical patterns, we assess whether a region is likely to gain, lose, or retain water storage over the coming weeks to months.

These outlooks are designed to complement existing water-management information, including precipitation, snowpack, streamflow, reservoir levels, groundwater observations, and drought-monitoring tools.

Our hydrologic storage outlooks help identify whether current conditions are consistent with normal seasonal behavior, drought-related storage loss, wet-year recovery, or unusually high regional water loading.

Each outlook can include:

• Current regional storage condition relative to historical behavior
• Recent 30-, 90-, and 365-day storage change
• Seasonal context compared with prior water years
• Forecast storage trajectory and uncertainty
• Comparison with precipitation and drought-index information
• Short written interpretation for water managers and stakeholders

Most water-management workflows already use precipitation, snowpack, reservoir levels, streamflow, groundwater observations, and demand records. GPS-based hydrologic assessment adds an independent line of evidence: it responds to the physical weight of water stored across the landscape.

That makes it useful for identifying whether a basin is actually gaining or losing storage, whether drought recovery is occurring beyond a single wet storm or wet month, and whether current conditions are unusual for the time of year.

GPS-based storage assessments and outlooks are designed to help water managers evaluate questions such as:

• Is this region gaining or losing water storage relative to normal seasonal behavior?
• Are wet conditions translating into actual storage recovery?
• Is drought stress still present after precipitation conditions improve?
• Is the current water year tracking above, below, or near the historical range?
• Are reservoir, snowpack, streamflow, groundwater, and drought indicators telling a consistent story?
• Where might an independent storage-sensitive dataset provide useful additional context?

Designed for basins, counties, and districts, this data provides valuable insights for hydrologic prediction. The typical resolution is about 0.25 degrees, roughly 15 to 20 miles across, varying by region. It is best suited for regional planning and understanding water conditions in a risk context, making it a useful tool for analyzing forecast time series.

Get forecast time series and maps for your region, covering periods from tomorrow up to 12 months ahead. Our  analysis provides insights into how water conditions are evolving, while the confidence summary offers an explanation of the reliability of the hydrologic prediction for your specific region and timeframe.

To generate your Hydrologic Packet, we typically need: 

Your area of interest (basin, county, district, service area) 

Your intended use (planning, drought context, wetness and flood susceptibility context, hydrologic prediction, reporting) 

Your delivery preference (PDF summary, slide ready graphics, data files) 

Additionally, if you require forecast time series data to analyze future water conditions, please specify.