In a report published Aug. 20, 2026, NASA said its Earth observations were feeding machine-learning river-flow forecasts used by Tacoma Power, a Washington public utility, on the Cowlitz River as effects of the 2026 Western snow drought carried into summer. The utility's largest hydroelectric project, behind Mayfield and Mossyrock dams, can generate enough electricity to serve more than 151,000 homes a year, the agency said.

Upstream Tech's HydroForecast blends weather forecasts and river measurements with NASA satellite data on snow cover and vegetation, updating every two hours. At the time of the report, Tacoma Power said it used the forecasts alongside stream gauges and operator judgment. NASA reported that January, February and March 2026 each had the lowest Western snow cover for that month in its MODIS record since 2001, and that snowpack stayed at 20% to 50% of normal. Washington placed every watershed under a drought emergency on April 8, 2026.

NASA also said it became a formal partner in the U.S. Drought Monitor in 2026, and took its first turn authoring the weekly assessment during the week of Aug. 17, 2026.