Coastal zone

Article

Mind the mapping gap between the ocean and coastal zones

Do you know that about 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, yet it remains unmapped? As NASA oceanographer Dr. Gene Feldman said,

“We have better maps of the surface of Mars and the moon than we do of the bottom of the ocean.”

But can all these vast blue portions of the universe be explored and mapped like the Mars, which is 54.6 million kilometers away from us, but have nearly 90% of its surface mapped? "Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?"

Interview with Hafsa, Aeman, National Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWM), CGIAR

In the interview, Hafsa Aeman discusses her passion for integrating water resource management with space technologies. She uses remote sensing and AI to tackle challenges like seawater intrusion and coastal erosion, focusing on vulnerable coastal ecosystems. By leveraging satellite data, her work provides critical insights for sustainable water management, crucial for communities impacted by climate change. Ms Aeman highlights the significant role of space technology in water management, especially through remote sensing, which helps monitor precipitation, soil moisture, and groundwater levels. Her proudest achievement is a publication on seawater intrusion, recognized for its innovative use of AI and remote sensing, contributing to Pakistan’s Living Indus initiative. At the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Hafsa’s research integrates AI and remote sensing to optimize water and irrigation management systems. She emphasizes the importance of addressing seawater intrusion, which poses threats to agriculture, ecosystems, and global food security. She also underscores the role of community engagement in sustainable water management through capacity-building workshops for farmers, promoting smarter irrigation practices. She advocates for leadership opportunities for young scientists and believes AI can revolutionize water management by enabling more accurate and efficient data analysis. Rain, symbolizing renewal and sustenance, is her favorite aggregate state of water.

Call: CASSINI Maritime Prize Contest - EU Space for Marine Ecosystems Protection

Of the 300 million tons of plastic produced every year, an estimated 26 million eventually ends up in the ocean. As a result, some estimates suggest there are now 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans and seas. Even more concerning is the fact that this number is expected to increase, with National Geographic predicting that the annual amount of plastic flowing into the oceans will triple by 2040.

Interview with Hafsa, Aeman, National Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWM), CGIAR

ARSET - Introduction to Remote Sensing for Coastal and Ocean Applications

Overview:

In this introductory webinar, participants will be provided with an overview of remote sensing for coastal and ocean applications. This will include a background in aquatic remote sensing, data access and tools for processing and analysing imagery, and examples and live demonstrations of applied science tools that have been developed for NASA and partner organizations. This course will review data products from MODIS, VIIRS, HICO, and other sensors commonly used for ocean applications.

ARSET - Remote Sensing of Coastal Ecosystems

Overview:

Coastal and marine ecosystems serve key roles for carbon storage, nutrients and materials cycling, as well as reservoirs of biodiversity. They also provide ecosystems services such as sustenance for millions of people, coastal protection against wave action, and recreational activities. Remote sensing of coastal and marine ecosystems is particularly challenging. Up to 90% of the signal received by the sensors in orbit comes from the atmosphere.

UN SPIDER Recommended Practice: Use of Digital Elevation Data for Storm Surge Coastal Flood Modelling

Overview:

Storm surges and tidal waves are global phenomena that considerably affect human populations in coastal and island regions. According to the Guide to Storm Surge Forecasting published by the World Meteorological Organization in 2011, storm surges can be defined as “oscillations of the water level in a coastal or inland body of water in the time range of a few minutes to a few days, resulting from forcing from atmospheric weather systems. According to this definition, the so-called wind waves, which have durations on the order of several seconds, are excluded”.

9th Conference on Physical Modelling in Coastal Engineering - CoastLab24

CoastLab is a conference whose focus is on Physical Modelling in Coastal Engineering and Science.

CoastLab24 is organized under the auspices of International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)

In the coastal zone, many developments are taking place, with much attention to themes like:

International Conference on Earth Observation and Geo-spatial Information 2023

The first edition of the IEEE International Conference on Earth Observation and Geo-spatial Information (ICEOGI) 2023 is co-organized by the LTIR Laboratory of the University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), Algiers and the LITIO Laboratory of the University of Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella (UORAN1), Oran.

8th IAHR Europe Congress in Lisbon

The congress central theme is “Water – Across Boundaries”, covering aquifers, rivers, reservoirs and dams, estuaries, coasts and ports, urban water, hydroinformatics and experimental methods, climate change and risk mitigation and governance and water resources management.

International Symposium on Outfall Systems (ISOS 2023)

The International Symposium on Underwater Pipelines System (ISOS) 2023 is hosted by
the IAHR/IWA Underwater Pipeline Systems Joint Committee under the auspices of the
International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) and
the International Water Association (IWA), the Federal Council of Sanitation Services
Entities (COFES) and Argentine Water and Sanitation (AySA).

Webinar: EU Space for plastic detection in ocean and waterways

Almost 26 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated in Europe every year and around 80% of marine litter is plastic. It causes one of the most pressing environmental problems, posing threats on aquatic life, ecosystems and human health due to contamination of food and drinking water. It has also important economic impacts on coastal communities, tourism and fisheries.

15th International Symposium on River Sedimentation (ISRS)

The International Symposium on River Sedimentation (ISRS) is a triennial event initiated in 1980 by the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society (CHES) with the support of UNESCO. The objective of ISRS is to provide a forum for scientist, engineers, researchers and decision makers to exchange ideas, research results, advanced techniques, and to share their experiences and information on sediment study and management. The International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES) in Beijing is the permanent secretariat of ISRS.

9th International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of Environment (RSCy2023)

The 9th International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of Environment or RSCy2023 will be held in Cyprus on 3-5 April, 2023.

The RSCy2023 is organized by the Cyprus Remote Sensing Society in cooperation with ESA, NASA, Copernicus, DLR, Group On Earth Observations, the Department of Electronic Communications of the Ministry of Communications and Works, the Technical Chamber of Cyprus, the Cyprus Department of Meteorology and the Agricultural Research Institute.

The conference is published by SPIE.

Local Perspectives Case Studies

Women and their everyday lives related to Water: Joy Marie Lawrence from Cape Town

The City of Cape Town is a coastal city that was facing severe water shortages. In Cape Town, water is sourced from the surrounding dams which collect the rain fall water from the mountains. Water is pumped via a distribution network to households and businesses. In 2018 and 2019 water supply was severely disrupted due to limited rain fall during the winter rainfall season. The dams were running dry and there was a concerted effort from the local government and national government about the water shortages in Cape Town and some parts of the country. As a consequence, water distribution was severely reduced to prevent the dams from running dry - which at a particular point the dams were as low as 10 per cent of capacity. Water users (residents, businesses, and industries) were urged to use water efficiently and avoid overconsumption; if not, there were penalties introduced for overuse. The citizens were subjected to water cuts and had to resort to bottled water or collect water from the tankers for drinking. Greywater use was encouraged for irrigating food and non-food gardens, flushing toilets, cleaning vehicles etc. Water use for recreational purposes was banned and alternative supplies of water were transported via tankers to Cape Town. The City also tried a temporary de-salination plant at huge costs as a means of getting drinkable water to citizens. After a good raining winter season in 2020, the dams are moderately full again but the risk of another drought is ever present. There are surrounding aquifers however the quality of the water has not been fully assessed, more technical data will assist in this regard.

Sea rise and potential predictions for sinking of the Delta in Egypt

According to a recent report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Nile Delta is increasingly vulnerable to coastal flooding due to rising sea levels which is an implication of global warming . The report also highlights that approximately 2,660 km2 in the northern Delta are projected to be submerged by the year 2100. This comprises about 25% of the Delta as stated by mathematical models. Coastal cities , like Alexandria, are also facing same problem. It is said that every year Alexandria sinks by about three millimeters. Experts say that this is due to the lack of silt in the soil, which has a solidifying effect and is increasingly being retained by the Nile Dam in Aswan, Upper Egypt. All that relates to water, as global warming results in elevating sea levels and hence flooding of coastal cities is at stake.

Satsense Solutions Limited

Satsense Solutions Limited is a start-up company that uses satellite earth observation to develop business and governance solutions addressing the challenges of resource management, climate change and sustainable development. It has developed and deployed several applications in the Water Resources, Hydropower, Mining and Infrastructure sectors. These include assessments of eutrophication levels in lakes and reservoirs and sedimentation rates at hydropower plants. Identification of pollution in rivers, acid mine drainage and tailings at mining sites.

Related Content

Article

Mind the mapping gap between the ocean and coastal zones

Interview with Hafsa, Aeman, National Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWM), CGIAR

Call: CASSINI Maritime Prize Contest - EU Space for Marine Ecosystems Protection

Interview with Hafsa, Aeman, National Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWM), CGIAR

Capacity Building and Training Material

ARSET - Introduction to Remote Sensing for Coastal and Ocean Applications

Overview:

ARSET - Remote Sensing of Coastal Ecosystems

Overview:

UN SPIDER Recommended Practice: Use of Digital Elevation Data for Storm Surge Coastal Flood Modelling

Overview:

Event

9th Conference on Physical Modelling in Coastal Engineering - CoastLab24

International Conference on Earth Observation and Geo-spatial Information 2023

8th IAHR Europe Congress in Lisbon

International Symposium on Outfall Systems (ISOS 2023)

Webinar: EU Space for plastic detection in ocean and waterways

15th International Symposium on River Sedimentation (ISRS)

9th International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of Environment (RSCy2023)

Local Perspectives Case Studies

Women and their everyday lives related to Water: Joy Marie Lawrence from Cape Town

Sea rise and potential predictions for sinking of the Delta in Egypt

Stakeholder

Satsense Solutions Limited