Themes

1. Space techniques to measure hydrological surface variables.

1.1 Status of space techniques (improvements, requirements): Gravimetry, altimeters (SAR and SARIn modes and laser), radar and optical imagers

1.2 Hydrological surfaces variables and their spatio-temporal monitoring: water surfaces, water elevations, wetlands, floodplain, groundwater variations, Digital elevation Models for hydrology, etc.

1.3 Blending/fusion of large and diverse datasets. How can we take advantage of the in situ network and satellite-based product to better understand the amount of water available in rivers and lakes?

1.4 From large-scale hydrology to small-scale hydrology: Do hydrology requirements depend on scale? How can space techniques answer these challenges? Downscaling? Precision vs. resolution?

1.5 Retrieval methods for other applications of space observations in large river basins (e.g., sediments transport, systematic mapping of wet areas, flood monitoring, use of altimetry for vertical referencing)

2. Modelling and Assimilation

2.1 River discharge, lake water balance, basin-scale water cycle.

2.2 Global and regional hydrological modelling: objectives, state of the art, improvement and data requirements (accuracy and space-time resolution).

2.3 Expected potential of space and ground data in hydraulic and hydrodynamic modelling: calibration, parameterisation, assimilation, validation and forecasting.

2.4 Specific modelling of estuaries.

2.5 Lake/reservoir modelling for meteorological and climate issues, for exchanges with rivers and volume variations.

3. From products to applications

This part is linked with different initiatives, such as AquaWatch, GEOFAST, AfriGEOSS and SWOT downstream programs which aim is to leverage the use of satellite data for end-user’s needs.

3.1 Applications to water resources management.

3.2 Monitoring and forecasting the extremes floods/droughts.

3.3 Applications to climate research

- long-term data records for climate: Essential Water variables.

- dedicated session on ESA Climate Change Initiative.

4. Fitness for use

The user community focuses on the degree to which the products conform to essential requirements and meet the user needs for which they are intended. How are the product developers addressing the following requirements?

4.1 Data metrics (precision and accuracy).

4.2 Error variation as a function of: scene, geography, climate zone etc.

4.3 Dataset characteristics: latency, grid interval in space/time and length of record.

4.4 Protocols for applications-ready end-user products: observations and modelling research to applications to end-user/decision making information products.

4.5 End-User applications products.