 This study investigates the potential benefits of incorporating remote sensing near-surface soil moisture observations into an operational hydrologic model. The study found that the model's dry bias in precipitation was reduced by nearly half when the remote sensing data were assimilated. However, the model's surface moisture state was quickly lost due to increased surface fluxes caused by the wetter soil moisture states. Therefore, it may be more effective to address the precipitation bias directly rather than correcting it through data assimilation. This article was authored by C. Draper, J. F. Mafouf, J. C. Calvitt, and others.