Use of spatial data for water resources monitoring

The management of water resources requires the use of hydrometric data mainly from in situ stations. Despite the efforts made in setting up and maintaining a network of stations (hydrometric or meteorological), water resource managers face many problems (degradation of equipment during floods, vandalism, inaccessibility, etc. …) Satellite data can enrich the monitoring of water resources, whatever the objectives of this monitoring (strategic management of water resources, management of structures, forecasting of floods and low flows, etc.). These data have the advantage of covering the entire world at regular intervals, including difficult-to-access areas. Through several projects, various scientific and industrial partners (IRD, CNES, CLS, CNRS, CENEAU, etc.) have contributed to assess and enhance the use of satellite data for the management of water resources at the scale of a watershed (eg the Amazon) or a territory (Uganda). The objective is to deliver hydrological indicators resulting from the combination of hydrological models, in-situ data and satellite data. This article presents the current possibilities and limitations of using satellite data to optimize the monitoring of water resources. KEYWORDS: Coupling, satellite data, hydrological modeling, inter-comparison.