NASA satellite data could help forecast Des Moines' nitrate spikes

Driving the news: The Hydroscience and Engineering (IIHR) center at the University of Iowa is leading the three-year project, which also includes water utilities in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, the school announced this week.

How it works: Des Moines Water Works CEO Amy Kahler compared the system to weather forecasting.

• Researchers will combine NASA satellite imagery with precipitation, groundwater and water-quality measurements collected across Iowa.
• The project will also use data from IIHR's network of 60 real-time water-quality stations, and an AI model will analyze the data to detect patterns and predict changes.

Zoom in: Researchers aim to produce short-range forecasts covering one to seven days and longer-range forecasts spanning two to eight weeks, University of Iowa spokesperson Breanna Shea tells Axios.

Context: High nitrate levels are linked with increased risks of cancer and can cost Des Moines Water Works up to around $11,000 a day to remove.

• The metro has faced watering restrictions for two consecutive summers as utilities have struggled to remove nitrates while meeting drinking-water demand.

Reality check: It's too early to estimate whether the forecasts will produce measurable savings, Des Moines Water Works spokesperson Melissa Walker tells Axios.

By the numbers: The project will cost just over $737,000, including personnel time, Shea said.

What's next: Researchers plan to train, validate and test the models during the project's first year, which runs through May 2027.

• The system could begin providing forecasts to the public by the end of the second year, pending a full quality assessment.