Researchers in various international programs have studied the potential use of remotely sensed
data to obtain accurate information on land surface processes and conditions. These studies have
demonstrated that quantitative assessment of the soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer processes can
lead to a better understanding of the relationships between crop growth and water management.
Information on land surface can now be obtained at a wide range of spatial (5±5000 m) and
temporal resolutions (0.5±24 days). However, even though considerable progress has been made
over the past 20 years in research applications, remotely sensed data remain underutilized by
practicing water resource managers.