Satellite remote sensing of water quantity

Abstract

The role of satellites in providing reliable inputs to the assessment of climate change impacts upo regional hydrology is subjectively considered. The harsh realities of such an appraisal appears to suggest a) less than 6% of all satellite monitoring activities generates readily- obtainable information on top hydrologic variable, b) additional effort can raise this figure to over 25%, c) about 58% of the satellite monitoring activities appear to be directed towards readily obtaining information on variables of secondary hydrologic consequence or attempting to obtain information on parameters that would best be obtained by other means, and d) 525 of the top priority hydrologic variables cannot be measured from satellite altitudes. Recommended applications for satellite monitoring are presented.