On the applicability of ICESat-2 and off-nadir SkySAT satellite datasets for the estimation of water storage in medium and small reservoirs at the global scale

Abstract

<p>Accurate and timely information on water storage changes in medium and small size reservoirs is needed for better water management and understanding of water dynamics on a global scale in general. While changes in surface water extent in these reservoirs can be monitored using satellite missions such as Landsat 8, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2, the information on water level and storage dynamics on a global scale is still missing. However, for most reservoirs, these storage changes can be estimated given that an accurate digital elevation model (DEM) is available for a dynamic part of the reservoir - the area covered between the minimum and maximum extents of the reservoir. In this research, we will investigate the applicability of data measured by the ICESat-2 lidar sensor and the off-nadir satellite imagery acquired by Planet’s SkySAT satellites and will evaluate how valuable these datasets are to estimate water storage changes in medium and small size reservoirs.</p>