Surface Moisture

The Surface Moisture layer uses infrared and visible spectrum public satellite data to identify moist bare soil and very shallow water. Derived from the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), this layer is best used in areas with bare ground or minimal vegetation to understand saturated ground, water bodies, and streams. This layer is derived from USDA NAIP aerial data, which is captured in the continental United States on average every three years going back to the early 2000s.