Satellite Mapping and Monitoring of Wild Rice

Abstract

Wild rice is the number one natural commodity in the state of Minnesota, and a major food source for Native Americans. Wild rice was estimated and mapped with Landsat data from 1998-2004 on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota. Due to increased precipitation in late 1998-early 1999 the reservation had a 65.7% loss in wild-rice crop area in 1999. In 2000, the wild rice crop returned to 52% of the original area. By 2004, the crop area had increased to 66% of the original crop area before the crop loss. The rate of recovery of wild rice following crop loss should be reflected in Leech Lake's insurance policy for wild rice.