The CREAF Forest Laboratory has expanded the ForestDrought application nationwide, a tool that analyzes drought, soil moisture, and the risk of forest fires. This platform, along with Meteoland, allows for real-time observation of how soils and vegetation are being filled with water.
Experts distinguish between green water, which is retained in the forest (vegetation and subsoil), and blue water, which flows into rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers. Current visualizations show very high results for both types of water, especially blue water.
Having a soil full of water is an insurance for the future. However, the last time we achieved good amounts of water in the forest soil was during the Gloria storm, and we already saw that heat waves and extreme droughts are capable of leaving us without water in a short time; we cannot let our guard down.
This recharge is vital for cushioning the impact of future droughts and reducing the risk of forest fires in the short and medium term. Furthermore, the refilling of reservoirs and aquifers is key to ensuring supply for the agricultural and industrial sectors. The downside is that saturated soil can destabilize terrain and lead to landslides on slopes.
The ForestDrought platform uses meteorological data from AEMET, Meteocat, MeteoGalicia, and the Andalusia Agroclimatic Network, combining them with information on soil and forest structure to estimate vegetation drought stress.
