Global Earth Observation project for integrated water resource assessment

The availability and quality of water resources are still not fully accounted for in different regions of the world since many countries lack basic information such as observations of the required hydro-meteorological variables. The accurate mapping and estimation of global water resources requires the use of many sources of earth observations (such as satellite and ground-based remote sensing, in situ measurements, vertical profiles, etc.), combined with state-of-art earth system modelling components that are developed for hydro-meteorological and environmental applications. However, a consistent global reanalysis dataset of water resources, robust and long enough to capture climate variability is currently lacking, while this information is vital to provide support for water related actions and planning in an informed decision-making process.

Watershed modelling approach has been chosen to consistently assess basin surface hydrology targeting different stakeholders interests such as channel runoff contribution to large reservoirs for hydropower and irrigation. The selected study watershed, the Oum Er Rbia Basin (areal extent approx. 38,000 km2), drains from the Atlas Mountains (up to 4,000 m a.s.l.) to the Atlantic Ocean at Azemmour city, approximately 50 km south-west of Casablanca.

The EartH2Observe project cuts across the scientific themes of both earth observation and water resources management. It is expected that the project will have an impact on Earth Observation research by improving the overall retrieval, resolution and reliability of EO data, assess the performance and uncertainty of existing EO products via ground validation and increase the space-time coverage of satellite sensors. Besides, the project will improve the global water resources evaluation by building long time series of water cycle observations and bridging the scale and the context from global to local, from science to society. Work Package 6 of the eartH2Observe project - which is the part where ICARDA is involved - focusses on in-situ data collection and modelling. It will evaluate the applicability of the new EO data and improve the assessment and prediction of water resources variability and availability. To end, the project wants to raise awareness on the pressure on freshwater resources, to improve the understanding of the water cycle by providing workshops, training and e-learning courses. Promoting a participatory approach and supporting local stakeholders, the project contributes to science-policy interfacing.