Operation USA’s role in water resource development goes beyond the pure advocacy of the application or transfer of advanced technology from purely military use to humanitarian efforts.  In water, we have a long history of well drilling, irrigation projects and water purification programs in post-disaster environments.

In 1999, when Operation USA first met with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, it was to discuss the possibility of applying the military technology EarthRadar (technology being used to "see" deep into the earth to locate hidden tunnels or buried munitions factories) to de-mine landmines in poor war-torn countries. However, it was also discovered that EarthRadar, was appropriate at locating buried aquifers and other scarce water resources.

The meeting resulted in a field test in Los Angeles arranged by Operation USA which resulted in a Los Angeles Times headline entitled "A Southern California Solution to the Third World's Thirst".  The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UNICEF showed great interest in using such technology in their own programs, many of which rely on safe, high quality water sources.

An international field test of EarthRadar's capability in finding water sources is being arranged in Nicaragua for early 2007.