A novel streamflow estimation using L-band passive microwave

We present a new basis for measuring river discharge in ungauged catchments worldwide, which is a prerequisite for any flood or drought mitigation system to be effective. Surrogate runoff (SR) is created from remotely sensed data to make up for the absence of in-situ streamflow. Because of its widespread availability and global coverage, SR derived from remotely sensed data offers an attractive streamflow alternative.
Specifically, the satellite-derived measurement-calibration ratio (MC ratio, also known as C/M ratio) is an appealing option because of its positive correlation with the observed streamflow and its physical property to detect floods. However, challenges in using the C/M ratio to predict streamflow dynamics have been identified because of its limited penetration skill and assumptions in the SR calculation. A signal with a longer wavelength is a possible alternative with better penetration, but the key assumptions for deriving SR are hard to satisfy with a coarser signal. Thus, a new approach to making an SR is required to use a longer wavelength sensor, such as the L-band microwave, which allows advanced data quality. The proposed SR formulation in our study alternates or reduces assumptions in SR calculation to use a coarse grid. The improved performance of the new SR is presented for 467 Australian Hydrologic Reference Stations, which can be considered free from anthropogenic effects and have distinct attributes. Results show significant enhancements in the Pearson linear correlation (R) between SR and in-situ streamflow: 44% of the study areas show R higher than 0.4 with the new approach, whereas only 13% of the study areas show R higher than 0.4 with the previous approach (C/M ratio). Overall, SR is dramatically improved by using the newly designed SR with the L-band microwave signal.