Home > Learning > Tutorials

Fundamentals of Remote Sensing

5.5 Hydrology

Hydrology is the study of water on the Earth's surface, whether flowing above ground, frozen in ice or snow, or retained by soil. Hydrology is inherently related to many other applications of remote sensing, particularly forestry, agriculture and land cover, since water is a vital component in each of these disciplines. Most hydrological processes are dynamic, not only between years, but also within and between seasons, and therefore require frequent observations. Remote sensing offers a synoptic view of the spatial distribution and dynamics of hydrological phenomena, often unattainable by traditional ground surveys. Radar has brought a new dimension to hydrological studies with its active sensing capabilities, allowing the time window of image acquisition to include inclement weather conditions or seasonal or diurnal darkness.

• wetlands mapping and monitoring,
• soil moisture estimation,
• snow pack monitoring / delineation of extent,
• measuring snow thickness,
• determining snow-water equivalent,
• river and lake ice monitoring,
• flood mapping and monitoring,
• glacier dynamics monitoring (surges, ablation)
• river /delta change detection
• drainage basin mapping and watershed modelling
• irrigation canal leakage detection
• irrigation scheduling