Subject: IWMIDSP Phase III Release Note November 18, 2005

Dear IWMIDSP User Community,

We the RS/GIS team are delighted to announce the release of the International Water Management Institute’s Data Storehouse Pathway’s (www.iwmidsp.org) Phase III. In this phase, we have focused not just on data and products, but a suite of other services. These are aimed at IWMI researchers, Challenge Program for Water and Food (CPWF) researchers, and for the entire global research community interested in using spatial data and related services pertaining to water and land resources. The overarching goal of the IWMIDSP is to serve as a platform for Global Public Good (GPG) spatial data and products. There are also advanced satellite sensor and GIS data and products in phase III. Also, Look for some exciting ground truth data sets gathered for 3 key IWMI research projects: (a) Irrigated area mapping, (b) water productivity mapping, and (c) wetland mapping.

The specific advances made and services provided in phase III are briefly outlined below (detail updates can be see at http://www.iwmidsp.org/iwmi/info/whatsnew.asp)

1. Dummies guide on how to search images

Most people looking for RS images on RS images on how, where, what? These numerous other questions are common. So here is a guide on how to search for satellite images.

2. Degree confluence project’s Ground Truth Data of the World (DCP GTW)

Nearly 973 “ground truth” data points, spread across the world, from precise locations have been organized in GIS format (e.g., Arcview, Arcinfo) and made available through IWMIDSP DCP GTW. The degree confluence project (http://www.confluence.org/) is an organized sampling of the World by Volunteers from around the Globe.

3. Phase III Data Release

About 1.4 terabyte of additional streamlined RS/GIS Data has been released to an already existing ~1.6 terabyte data which 3 terabyte data made available through IWMIDSP. Which include rivers basins, GEWEX, South Asia Landsat mosaic, National, Regional, Tsunami Data ((http://tsdc.iwmi.org), JERS SAR Data for Rainforests, Baseline data used for GMIA (www.iwmigmia.org) etc.

4. Metadata

The metadata of the IWMIDSP data is ingested into globally accepted metadata    gateways such as FGDC and GeoNetwork. User can access IWMIDSP metadat through FGDC (http://clearinghouse3.fgdc.gov/) ,GeoNetwork (http://geonetwork.csi.cgiar.org) and IWMIDSP (http://www.iwmidsp.org/iwmi/metadata/index.asp) gateways.

5. Impact Assessment

The IWMIDSP was first released in June 2004. Currently, we have 1500 registered users. Each month over 1500 visitors (see Figure 8) from over 60 Countries (see Figure 9) visit IWMIDSP and download in excess of 100 GB.

6. The IWMIPhilosophy and Strategy towards Spatial Data (draft)

Currently, IWMI is developing its philosophy and strategy for spatial data. A draft document entitled: “The IWMI Philosophy and Strategy towards Spatial Data: Remote Sensing and GIS Data and Products in IWMI Research and their Gateway through IWMIDSP” by Prasad S. Thenkabail is reviewed by the management. Those interested in enhancing this document can discuss it with Prasad (p.thenkabail@cgiar.org).

7. Ground Truth Data for Mapping Irrigated area, water productivity and Wetlands

Recently, IWMI put in major efforts in collecting ground truth data related: (a) irrigated areas, (b) water productivity, and (c) wetlands. The data are made available in standard proprietary software formats and include excel, arcviewshape files, and hot links to geo-specific digital photos. These data include Indian Subcontinent, Krishna, Limpopo, Central Asia, Ruhuna etc.

8. IWMIDSP data access and dissemination policy

There is increasing demand on the IWMIDSP data from user’s around the world. Thereby, we now have a clear policy in place on IWMIDSP data and product access and dissemination.

9. IWMIDSP questions?

For questions related to IWMIDSP please contact Praveen Noojipady (p.noojipady@cgiar.org) with CC to Manohar velpuri (m.velupuri@cgiar.org), Chandrashekhar Biradar (c.biradar@cgiar.org), and Prasad Thenkabail (p.thenkabail@cgiar.org).

Kind regards

IWMIDSP Team members:

Prasad S. Thenkabail
Chandrashekhar M. Biradar
Aminul Islam
Praveen Noojipady
Jagath Vithanage
Venkateswarlu Dheeravath
Manohar Velpuri
Mohinuddin Sadir
Wasantha Kulawardhana
Ranjith Alankara
Sarath Gunasinghe
Mariagrazia Bellio
Geoffrey Chavula
Anputhas
Premachandra

[IMAGE] 

Praveen Noojipady
International Water Management Institute(IWMI)
#127, Sunil Mawatha, Pelawatte
Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94-11-2787404, 2784080
Fax: +94-11-2786854
Email: p.noojipady@cgiar.org

www.iwmi.org

For more information and images please refer to
http://www.iwmidsp.org/iwmi/dummies/Release3_Note.asp