For many plant species, flowering is biologically synced with the seasons. Scientists are clocking blooms to understand our ever-changing planet.

NASA research is revealing there’s more to flowers than meets the human eye. A recent analysis of wildflowers in California shows how aircraft- and space-based instruments can use color to track seasonal flower cycles. The results suggest a potential new tool for farmers and natural-resource managers who rely on flowering plants.

In their study, the scientists surveyed thousands of acres of nature preserve using a technology built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The instrument — an imaging spectrometer — mapped the landscape in hundreds of wavelengths of light, capturing flowers as they blossomed and aged over the course of months.

It was the first time the instrument had been deployed to track vegetation steadily through the growing season, making this a “first-of-a-kind study,” said David Schimel, a research scientist at JPL.

A diagram shows an airplane flying over a landscape with a yellow cone representing data collection. Below, a 3D block represents the landscape with stacked color layers labeled B, G, R, and NIR. A ruler indicates 5m.

For many plant species from crops to cacti, flowering is timed to seasonal swings in temperature, daylight, and precipitation. Scientists are taking a closer look at the relationship between plant life and seasons — known as vegetation phenology — to understand how rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns may be impacting ecosystems.

Typically, wildflower surveys rely on boots-on-the-ground observations and tools such as time-lapse photography. But these approaches cannot capture broader changes that may be happening in different ecosystems around the globe, said lead author Yoseline Angel, a scientist at the University of Maryland-College Park and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

“One challenge is that compared to leaves or other parts of a plant, flowers can be pretty ephemeral,” she said. “They may last only a few weeks.”

To track blooms on a large scale, Angel and other NASA scientists are looking to one of the signature qualities of flowers: color.

Mapping native shrubs

Flower pigments fall into three major groups: carotenoids and betalains (associated with yellow, orange, and red colors), and anthocyanins (responsible for many deep reds, violets, and blues). The different chemical structures of the pigments reflect and absorb light in unique patterns.

Spectrometers allow scientists to analyze the patterns and catalog plant species by their chemical “fingerprint.” As all molecules reflect and absorb a unique pattern of light, spectrometers can identify a wide range of biological substances, minerals, and gases.

Handheld devices are used to analyze samples in the field or lab. To survey moons and planets, including Earth, NASA has developed increasingly powerful imaging spectrometers over the past 45 years.

One such instrument is called AVIRIS-NG (short for Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation), which was built by JPL to fly on aircraft. In 2022 it was used in a large ecology field campaign to survey vegetation in the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve and the Sedgwick Reserve, both in Santa Barbara County. Among the plants observed were two native shrub species — Coreopsis gigantea and Artemisia californica — from February to June.

The scientists developed a method to tease out the spectral fingerprint of the flowers from other landscape features that crowded their image pixels. In fact, they were able to capture 97% of the subtle spectral differences among flowers, leaves, and background cover (soil and shadows) and identify different flowering stages with 80% certainty.

Predicting superblooms

The results open the door to more air- and space-based studies of flowering plants, which represent about 90% of all plant species on land. One of the ultimate goals, Angel said, would be to support farmers and natural resource managers who depend on these species along with insects and other pollinators in their midst. Fruit, nuts, many medicines, and cotton are a few of the commodities produced from flowering plants.

Angel is working with new data collected by AVIRIS’ sister spectrometer that orbits on the International Space Station. Called EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation), it was designed to map minerals around Earth’s arid regions. Combining its data with other environmental observations could help scientists study superblooms, a phenomenon where vast patches of desert flowers bloom after heavy rains.

One of the delights of researching flowers, Angel said, is the enthusiasm from citizen scientists. “I have social media alerts on my phone,” she added, noting one way she stays on top of wildflower activity around the world.

The wildflower study was supported as part of the Surface Biology and Geology High-Frequency Time Series (SHIFT) campaign. An airborne and field research effort, SHIFT was jointly led by the Nature Conservancy, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and JPL. Caltech, in Pasadena, manages JPL for NASA.

The AVIRIS instrument was originally developed through funding from NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office.

Sally Younger writes for NASA’s Earth Science News Team.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Days after a federal lawsuit was filed over the approval of a casino proposed by the Scotts Valley Pomo tribe in Vallejo, the Department of Interior said it is reconsidering the project.

The news was communicated to Scotts Valley and several tribes opposing its casino plan in a letter from the Department of Interior this week.

The Department of the Interior under the Biden Administration approved the fee-to-trust proposal for Scotts Valley’s project at the start of January, over the objections of tribes and other community leaders and residents in and around Vallejo.

Scotts Valley, based near Lakeport, proposes to build a $700 million, 400,000-square-foot mega casino complex, along with 24 homes and an administrative building, on a 128-acre site near I-80 and Highway 37.

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation said the site is on its ancestral land, and that the development will destroy important cultural sites, including a quarry.

On Monday, the Yocha Dehe, which owns Cache Creek Casino in Yolo County, and the Kletsel Dehe Band of Wintun Indians, a nongaming tribe based in Colusa County, filed a lawsuit challenging the Department of the Interior’s casino decision, as Lake County News has reported.

In response, Scotts Valley said the litigation is unmerited and called it an “anti-competitive lawsuit.”

In a letter to Scotts Valley Tribal Chairman Shawn Davis dated March 27, Scott Davis, senior advisor to new Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, explained that on Jan. 10, then-Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Wizipan Garriot issued a decision to take the 160.33-acre parcel in the city of Vallejo in trust for gaming purposes for the Scotts Valley Band.

Scott Davis’ letter explained that the decision included two determinations — one that found that the site was eligible for gaming under the restored lands exception of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the Department of the Interior's gaming eligibility determination regulations, and the second, that the site may be taken into trust pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act
and the agency’s trust determination.

“The Gaming Eligibility Determination replaces a 2019 Indian Lands Opinion that was remanded to the Department on September 30, 2022,” Scott Davis said in his letter, referencing the outcome of a federal lawsuit Scotts Valley had filed against the Department of Interior.

Davis’ letter continued, “This letter is to inform you that, while the Trust Determination still stands and the Vallejo Site remains in trust, the Department is temporarily rescinding the Gaming Eligibility Determination for reconsideration.'”

That action, Davis said, is taken pursuant to law that gives the secretary of the Interior “broad authority to review and reconsider any decision of the Department.”

In this case, “The Secretary is concerned that the Department did not consider additional evidence submitted after the 2022 Remand. During the pendency of this reconsideration, neither the Tribe nor any other entity or person should rely on the Gaming Eligibility Determination,” Davis said.

The tribes that sued the Department of the Interior over the Vallejo casino project greeted the decision with optimism.

“For more than a year, we have requested that the Department of the Interior establish a fair, transparent, fact-based decision-making process in which all tribes can participate on equal footing,” said Yocha Dehe Chairman Anthony Roberts. “It’s hard to know why the Biden Administration refused to follow these basic principles, but we’re glad the incoming Administration is committed to getting it right. This is about more than just a single project. It is about ensuring all tribal voices are honored and heard.”

Roberts added, “Nothing is more important than our ancestral homelands, and to see them stripped away without consultation by the Biden Administration was extremely painful. We applaud Secretary Burgum for beginning the process to right that wrong, and we look forward to working with him to ensure our lands and cultural resources are protected for generations to come.”

Chairman Charlie Wright of the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation also lauded Interior’s decision.

“Kletsel Dehe is pleased that the Department of the Interior appears to be taking our concerns seriously, and we look forward to participating in a fair, transparent reconsideration process,” Wright said.

In response to the action, Scotts Valley Tribal Chairman Shawn Davis maintained, “The evidence supporting our tribe’s gaming approval under the restored lands exception is robust, well-documented, and consistent with prior rulings from the department and federal courts. It was the product of many years of thorough study and review. While we are disappointed in the arbitrary decision to reopen a review that already correctly granted our gaming rights, we know we will win on the merits. Our progress will continue towards the development of our homeland to the benefit of our members and our neighbors across Vallejo and Solano County.

Shawn Davis said Interior’s “unilateral reversal, based on the submission of materials by a competitor tribe, disrespects the sovereignty of the Scotts Valley Band and is inconsistent with law and appropriate process. It is unconscionable to reopen a final determination based solely on the objections of a competitor, especially considering they just repackage previously considered and rejected arguments. The greed of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is disgusting. Despite their billions of dollars, they aren’t satisfied. The Scotts Valley Band will not be bullied, and we won’t back down.”

He added, “Scotts Valley’s restoration, federal recognition status, and demonstrated historical connection to the lands remain unchanged. Our tribe and the city of Vallejo have long been underdogs, and we are unimpeded in working together for a brighter future for all residents.

The Department of Interior invited the tribes and other interested parties to submit evidence and/or legal analysis regarding whether the Vallejo site qualifies as restored lands under federal laws.

To ensure that they have all of the relevant materials, they ask that any documents submitted after the September 2022 remand related to the federal course decision should resubmit them by providing them to the director of the Office of Indian Gaming, at 1849 C. Street NW, MS-3543, Washington, DC 20240, or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 30.

For more information on the opposition to the project visit www.protecttribalhomelands.com. 

To learn more about the studies conducted and the proposed project from Scotts Valley’s perspective, visit https://www.scottsvalleycasinoea.com/. 

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.

2025.03.27 DOI Letter Re Reconsideration of Scotts Valley Jan. 10th Decision by LakeCoNews on Scribd

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Thanks to more rain and snow, California is winding down the wet season in better shape.

The Department of Water Resources, or DWR, on Friday conducted the April snow survey at Phillips Station.

The manual survey recorded 39.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 17 inches, which is 70 percent of average for this location.

The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast.

Statewide, the snowpack is 90 percent of average for this date. Given the forecast for storms early next week, DWR conducted the in-person snow survey ahead of April 1.

While DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit strives to conduct measurements as close to the first of the month as possible, DWR must schedule surveys around forecasted storm activity to ensure the safety of DWR staff and invited media.

The anticipated storms this weekend and early next week may boost the official April 1 average for statewide snowpack and DWR will provide an update on Tuesday.

The April measurement is a critical marker for water managers across the state, as it is typically the time when the snowpack reaches its maximum volume and begins to melt. DWR’s water supply forecasts use data from the April 1 snowpack to calculate how much snowmelt runoff will eventually make its way into California’s rivers and reservoirs.

While the snowpack has caught up to near normal, broad swaths of Southern California remain exceptionally dry and below average for rainfall. This includes the Los Angeles region, which as of today has only received 45 percent of its average rainfall so far this water year.

“It’s great news that our state’s snowpack has recovered from several weeks of extremely dry conditions in the heart of our winter storm season,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “However, it’s not a wet year across the entire Sierra Nevada. The north has great snowpack, but snowpack is less than average in the central and southern part of the mountain range. That snowpack ultimately flows to the Delta, and the regional disparity affects how much water the State Water Project will be able to deliver.”

Measuring California’s snowpack is a key component that guides how California’s water supplies are managed. On average, California’s snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs. Its natural ability to store water is why California’s snowpack is often referred to as California's “frozen reservoir.”

The data and measurements collected from DWR and its partners with the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program help inform the water supply and snowmelt runoff forecasts, known as the Bulletin 120, that help water managers plan for how much water will eventually reach state reservoirs in the spring and summer. This information is also a key piece in calculating State Water Project allocation updates each month.

“We are very thankful to be ending March where we are now with more snow in the forecast next week, especially considering the dry start to the year,” said Andy Reising, manager of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit. “From major storms in November and December to a bone-dry January, then back to major storms in February and March, this year is a lesson in why we can never know for certain what our water picture will look like until we get to the end of our traditional wet season.”

Before storms in February and March, California was experiencing an excessively dry January that stalled critical growth of the snowpack and contributed to the dangerous conditions that led to devastating wildfires in Southern California.

To prepare for the next drought, DWR and Governor Newsom have taken actions to secure and protect California’s water supply in the face of growing climate extremes while balancing the needs of the environment.

In January, Governor Newsom issued an executive order to make it easier for local and regional agencies to maximize groundwater recharge, ensuring California is able to capture and store as much water as possible during high winter flows.

California is also working with the scientific community to adopt the best available science for the state’s water management. A recently released report shows that DWR’s investments in pursuing new strategies known as Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, which provides flexible water management based on the newest forecasting technologies, can both reduce flood risk for downstream communities and benefit water supplies during dry periods.

This fall, the State Water Project received a new operating permit after years of working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and partners at state and federal fish agencies, that will address the dual challenges of climate change impacts and endangered species protections.

Thanks to efforts to capture as much water as possible from this year’s storms, reservoirs across the state are currently 115 percent of average.

DWR conducts four or five snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month, January through April and, if necessary, May.

For California’s current hydrological conditions, visit https://cww.water.ca.gov.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has dozens of dogs waiting for their new families.

The shelter has 52 adoptable dogs listed on its website.

This week’s dogs include “Major,” a handsome 2 and a half year old German shepherd mix.

Major is a charming dog “with a heart full of love and a passion for playtime,” according to shelter staff.

He’s a sweet boy “known for his playful spirit and boundless energy, making every day an adventure. He walks straight on a leash, demonstrating his great manners and eagerness to explore the world around him,” the shelter said.

The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.

This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.

Recently Mars has had a few Earthly visitors. On March 1, NASA’s Europa Clipper flew within 550 miles (884 kilometers) of the Red Planet’s surface on its way out to Jupiter. On March 12, the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft flew within about 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) of Mars, and only 300 kilometers from its moon, Deimos.

Hera is on its way to study the binary asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos. Next year, in May 2026, NASA’s Psyche mission is scheduled to buzz the Red Planet on its way to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche, coming within a few thousand kilometers.

Why all these visits to Mars? You might at first think that they’re using Mars as an object of opportunity for their cameras, and you would be partially right. But Mars has more to give these missions than that.

The main reason for these flybys is the extra speed that Mars’ velocity around the Sun can give them. The idea that visiting a planet can speed up a spacecraft is not all that obvious, because the same gravity that attracts the spacecraft on its way towards the planet will exert a backwards force as the spacecraft leaves the planet.

The key is in the direction that it approaches and leaves the planet. If the spacecraft leaves Mars heading in the direction that Mars is traveling around the Sun, it will gain speed in that direction, slingshotting it farther into the outer solar system.

A spacecraft can typically gain several percent of its speed by performing such a slingshot flyby. The closer it gets to the planet, the bigger the effect. However, no mission wants to be slowed by the upper atmosphere, so several hundred kilometers is the closest that a mission should go. And the proximity to the planet is also affected by the exact direction the spacecraft needs to go when it leaves Mars.

Clipper’s Mars flyby was a slight exception, slowing down the craft — by about 1.2 miles per second (2 kilometers per second) — to steer it toward Earth for a second gravity assist in December 2026. That will push the spacecraft the rest of the way to Jupiter, for its 2030 arrival.

While observing Mars is not the main reason for their visits, many of the visiting spacecraft take the opportunity to use their cameras either to perform calibrations or to study the Red Planet and its moons.

During Clipper’s flyby over sols 1431-1432, Mastcam-Z was directed to watch the skies for signs of the interplanetary visitor. Clipper’s relatively large solar panels could have reflected enough sunlight for it to be seen in the Mars night sky, much as we can see satellites overhead from Earth.

Unfortunately, the spacecraft entered the shadow of Mars just before it came into potential view above the horizon from Perseverance’s vantage point, so the sighting did not happen. But it was worth a try.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Perseverance is performing something of a cliff-hanger. “Sally’s Cove” is a relatively steep rock outcrop in the outer portion of Jezero crater’s rim just north of “Broom Hill.”

Perseverance made an approach during March 19 to 23, and has been exploring some dark-colored rocks along this outcrop, leaving the spherules behind for the moment. Who knows what Perseverance will find next?

Roger Wiens is principal investigator, SuperCam instrument / Co-Investigator, SHERLOC instrument at Purdue University.