Flood

"An overflow of water onto lands that are used or usable by man and not normally covered by water. Floods have two essential characteristics: The inundation of land is temporary; and the land is adjacent to and inundated by overflow from a river, stream, lake, or ocean." (U.S. Geological Survey, 2019)

Sources

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). "Water Science Glossary Terms". USGS Water Science School. (2019). Link: https://water.usgs.gov/edu/dictionary.html#W

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Interview with Sawaid Abbas, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Geographical Information, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

Sawaid Abbas, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Geographical Information System, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan discussed his extensive work in addressing water-related challenges through the nexus between smart sensing and space technologies. His thematic focus spans water scarcity, food security, climate risks, and environmental monitoring with an emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region, including Pakistan and China. Key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guiding his work include SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG13 (Climate Action), SDG15 (Life on Land), and SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Abbas's passion for water emerged during his early career at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), where he was involved in Pakistan’s Wetland Program and witnessed the impact of water on associated ecosystems. This sparked his interest in understanding and managing water, forestry, and wildlife resources. He recently studied coastal ecosystems and their responses to climate and anthropogenic stressors in the Asia-Pacific region. The Living Indus – Investing in Ecological Restoration has become a new focus of interest for him, addressing sustainability challenges related to food security, river basin management, and efficient water use in alignment with the UN Decade of Ocean objectives. Abbas shared his fascination with water, recognizing its complex and essential nature. He is captivated by its beauty in all forms and acknowledges its fundamental importance for life on Earth. This water connection further motivates his commitment to addressing global water challenges and promoting sustainable water use through innovative solutions. Sawaid Abbas's work, stimulated by both professional commitment and personal fascination, stresses the critical role of space technologies, particularly earth observation, smart sensing nexus, and artificial intelligence in addressing water-related challenges. His research contributes to the development of innovative solutions for sustainable water use, environmental protection, and disaster response, aligning with global goals for a more resilient and water-secure future.

Interview with Venkataraman Lakshmi, John L. Newcomb Professor of Engineering at University of Virginia and President, Hydrology Section, American Geophysical Union

In this insightful interview, Prof. Lakshmi shares how space technologies are transforming our understanding of Earth’s water systems. Using satellite sensors that detect visible, infrared, microwave, thermal, and gravity data, he studies key variables like soil moisture, precipitation, and vegetation to track water movement across the planet. As President of the American Geophysical Union’s Hydrology Section—home to nearly 10,000 global members—he helps coordinate scientific committees, awards, and one of the largest gatherings of Earth scientists at the AGU Annual Meeting. One of his many standout projects involves downscaling soil moisture data from NASA’s SMAP satellite. By integrating data from MODIS and VIIRS instruments, his team has refined soil moisture resolution from 9 km to as fine as 400 meters—which is critical for applications in agriculture, weather forecasting, and climate science. Looking ahead, he emphasizes the urgent need for efficient water use in agriculture, which consumes 70 per cent of global freshwater. He advocates for innovation and smarter water management, especially in the face of population growth and climate extremes. His advice to young professionals? Dive into water science—it’s at the heart of global challenges like droughts, floods, and wildfires. And when asked what drives innovation, his answer is simple: motivated young minds.

Наводнения в Судане - Космический мониторинг наводнений для управления рисками стихийных бедствий

Translated by Marina Agarkova

В 2019 году наводнения стали причиной 43,5% всех смертей в результате стихийных бедствий и, таким образом, представляют собой самый смертоносный тип бедствия с растущим числом событий по сравнению с предыдущими годами (CRED, 2019). Кроме того, наводнения приводят к наибольшему числу пострадавших людей по сравнению с другими бедствиями, поскольку они влияют на деятельность человека и экономику (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

От Джакарты до Нусантары: проседание грунта и другие насущные проблемы с водой в тонущем мегаполисе

Джакарта, «тонущий город», является нынешней столицей Индонезии. Расположенный на берегу Яванского моря, этот прибрежный город является домом для почти 30 миллионов человек в районе Большой Джакарты. Джакарта десятилетиями боролась с проблемами управления водными ресурсами, что привело к некоторым нынешним кризисам, связанным с водой. Доступ к надежному питьевому водоснабжению крайне ограничен, поскольку существует значительная разница между теми, кто имеет доступ к водопроводной воде, и теми, кто его не имеет. Граждане, не имеющие доступа к водопроводной воде, в значительной степени зависят от грунтовых вод и в результате вырыли тысячи нерегулируемых колодцев. Это привело ко второму водному кризису: постоянному чрезмерному извлечению водоносных горизонтов Джакарты. Проседание грунта вызывает наибольшую обеспокоенность, поскольку этот тонущий город подвергается высокому риску наводнений со стороны окружающего океана. В результате примерно 40 процентов территории Джакарты в настоящее время находится ниже уровня моря, и прогностические модели предполагают, что к 2050 году весь город окажется под водой (Gilmartin, 2019). Эти проблемы усугубляются тем, что климатический кризис привел к значительному повышению уровня моря, поскольку ледники и ледяные шапки продолжают таять (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2019; Lindsey, 2022). В связи с тем, что город Джакарта продолжает опускаться, а уровень моря повышается, миллионы жителей Джакарты подвергаются чрезвычайно высокому риску наводнений, особенно в сезон муссонов (рис. 1). Тысячи жителей уже были вынуждены покинуть свои дома в поисках улучшенных условий и возвышенностей (Garschagen et al., 2018).

Vers des Nouvelles Applications de la Technologie Spatiale à la Protection Contre les Inondations

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Inondations au Soudan - Surveillance Spatiale des Inondations pour Soutenir la Gestion des Risques de Catastrophe

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Floods in Sudan - Space-based Flood Monitoring to Support Disaster Risk Management

In 2019, floods caused 43.5% of all deaths due to natural disasters and thereby represent the deadliest type of disaster with an increasing number of events compared to previous years (CRED, 2019). Floods furthermore lead to the highest number of people affected compared to other disasters as they affect human activities and the economy (CRED, 2019; Elagib et al. 2019).

Inondations au Soudan - Surveillance Spatiale des Inondations pour Soutenir la Gestion des Risques de Catastrophe

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

From Jakarta to Nusantara: Land subsidence and other pressing water challenges in a sinking mega city

Jakarta, “the sinking city”, is the current capital city of Indonesia. Located on the Java Sea, this coastal city is home to nearly 30 million people within the greater-Jakarta area. Jakarta has grappled with water management issues for decades, leading to several current day water-related crises. Access to a reliable, potable water supply is extremely limited as there is a significant disparity between those with piped water access and those without. Citizens without piped water access have consequently relied heavily on groundwater and have dug thousands of unregulated wells as a result. This has led to a second water crisis – the chronic overextraction of Jakarta’s underground aquifers. Land subsidence is of the utmost concern as this sinking city is placed at high flood risk from the surrounding ocean. Approximately 40% of Jakarta now lies below sea level as a result and predictive models suggest that the entire city will be underwater by 2050 (Gilmartin, 2019). Compounding these problems, the climate crisis has led to significant sea level rise as glaciers and ice caps continue to melt (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2019; Lindsey, 2022). As the city of Jakarta continues to sink and sea levels rise, millions of citizens within Jakarta are at extremely high risk of flooding, particularly during monsoon season. Thousands of residents have already been forced to abandon their homes in search of improved conditions and higher ground (Garschagen et al., 2018).

Towards new applications of spaceborne technology on flood protection

Recently, in July 2021, destructive and deadly floods occurred in Western Europe. The estimated insured losses only in Germany could approach 5 billion Euros (AIR Worldwide, 2021). However, the total amount of the damage is currently not foreseeable due to the variety and complexity of the damage patterns and the unbelievable extent of the disaster. It seems the socio-economic losses will dramatically increase and break a new record in the insurance industry after evaluating the complete record of damages’ reports (see Figure 1).

Floods in Sudan - Space-based Flood Monitoring to Support Disaster Risk Management

Наводнения в Судане - Космический мониторинг наводнений для управления рисками стихийных бедствий

Translated by Marina Agarkova

From Jakarta to Nusantara: Land subsidence and other pressing water challenges in a sinking mega city

Towards new applications of spaceborne technology on flood protection

Floods in Sudan - Space-based Flood Monitoring to Support Disaster Risk Management

Наводнения в Судане - Космический мониторинг наводнений для управления рисками стихийных бедствий

Translated by Marina Agarkova

От Джакарты до Нусантары: проседание грунта и другие насущные проблемы с водой в тонущем мегаполисе

United Nations/Ghana/PSIPW - 5th International conference on the use of space technology for water resources management

From 10 to 13 May 2022, the United Nations Officer for Outer Space Affairs organized the 5th International conference on the use of space technology for water resources management. The conference was hosted in a hybrid format in Accra, Ghana, by the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani on behalf of the Government of Ghana. The event was attended by several senior government representatives of the host country including Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, the Honorary Minister of Education Dr.

Climate change, dam collapses and water-borne disease: devastation in Libya caused by Storm Daniel

Building outlines detected on satellite imagery

On September 10th of 2023, Storm Daniel made landfall in northeastern Libya, bringing torrential levels of rain and strong winds (Figure 1). This onslaught of rain caused two big dams in the region to break – the Abu Mansour dam and the Derna dam, 75 metres and 45 metres tall respectively. It is believed that the Abu Mansour dam broke first, after its reservoir was filled beyond capacity. The dam collapsed and sent a rush of water towards the Derna dam further downstream (Figure 2).

Vers des Nouvelles Applications de la Technologie Spatiale à la Protection Contre les Inondations

Merci à Mussa Kachunga Stanis d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Inondations au Soudan - Surveillance Spatiale des Inondations pour Soutenir la Gestion des Risques de Catastrophe

Merci à Martin Sarret d'avoir traduit cet article volontairement.

Interview with Venkataraman Lakshmi, John L. Newcomb Professor of Engineering at University of Virginia and President, Hydrology Section, American Geophysical Union

Interview with Alicia Simón Sisimit, Kaqchikel Journalist and activist at DDASO Project

DDASO project team conducting field work

Short description of the Kaqchikel community

The municipality of San José Poaquil was founded on November 1, 1891. It is located in the department of Chimaltenango with a territorial extension of approximately 100 km² and has almost 30 000 inhabitants. It is one of the 16 municipalities that make up the department of Chimaltenango. It is located in the west of the Republic of Guatemala at a distance of 101 kilometers from the Capital City and distance 47 kilometers from the Departmental Capital.

Interview with Margherita Bruscolini, Geospatial & Earth Scientist, Drone Pilot at RSS-Hydro

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Ruvimbo Samanga, despite her age, has vast experience in the law, space, and water sectors. She is presently involved in a regional study on the integration of GIS and statistical information in Zimbabwe, working towards the promulgation of GIS standards and legislation to support a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Ruvimbo is excited by the merging of sustainable development for water management with space technologies because it is scalable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective over the long run. Ruvimbo feels strongly that space technologies have a role to play in policy and legal affairs, and also sees potential especially in the use of emerging technologies such as block chain, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.

Interview with Sawaid Abbas, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Geographical Information, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

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Interview with Benjamin Wullobayi Dekongmen

Could you describe how your professional and/or personal experience relate to water? Where does your interest in water resources management come from? What influenced your decision to focus your work on the use of space technology for water management?

My upbringing on a farm set out the foundation for my interest in water resources, as I used to collect water for domestic and agricultural purposes from the streams.

Interview with Dr. Ayan Santos Fleischmann, Lead, Research Group in Geospatial Analysis of the Amazonian Environment and Territory

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Interview with Melody Lepine, Director at the Mikisew Cree First Nation Government and Industry Relations

Suncor upgrader, tailing ponds, Athabasca River and Tar/oil sands in Northern Alberta. Photograph taken by Garth Lenz, 2019

Photo by Garth Lenz.

Short description of the Mikisew Cree First Nation community

Nestled on the northwest shore of Lake Athabasca, Fort Chipewyan is one of the most northern communities in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Isolated by nature, Fort Chipewyan can only be accessed by plane or boat in the summer and by a winter road in the winter.

Interview with Margherita Bruscolini, Geospatial & Earth Scientist, Drone Pilot at RSS-Hydro

Interview with Ruvimbo Samanga

Interview with Victor Hertel, PhD candidate at the German Aerospace Centre

Interview with Sharif Islam, Post-Doc Researcher at MIT Media Lab

Interview with Benjamin Wullobayi Dekongmen

Could you describe how your professional and/or personal experience relate to water? Where does your interest in water resources management come from? What influenced your decision to focus your work on the use of space technology for water management?

My upbringing on a farm set out the foundation for my interest in water resources, as I used to collect water for domestic and agricultural purposes from the streams.

Interview with Dr. Ayan Santos Fleischmann, Lead, Research Group in Geospatial Analysis of the Amazonian Environment and Territory

Assessment of Floods and Burned AreasTraining Opportunity Application Deadline 13 October 2021

Image of wild fires in Greek island of Eviapillars

Save the dates for a 2-day remote training on Disaster Management, organized by UN-SPIDER, ESA (RUS Copernicus) and the Systems Laboratory of the EnviSci Department at CEU!

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Launch of Zimbabwe's first Satellite ZIMSAT - 1

What began as the development of a cubesat (BIRD-5) at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan took off on a spacecraft to the International Space Station from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, US on 6 November 2022 (watch the video of the launch of the CRS2 NG-18 (Cygnus) Mission (Antares), in the video below the article).

Interview with Alicia Simón Sisimit, Kaqchikel Journalist and activist at DDASO Project

Short description of the Kaqchikel community

Interview with Melody Lepine, Director at the Mikisew Cree First Nation Government and Industry Relations

Photo by Garth Lenz.

Short description of the Mikisew Cree First Nation community

UN SPIDER Recommended Practice: Mudslides and Associated Flood Detection Using Sentinel-1 Data

Overview:

Floods and landslides are the first and fourth most frequent disasters around the world (Petley, 2012). There are several examples of downstream flooding caused by massive mudslides where rapid mapping is an indispensable tool for supporting disaster management activities by civil protection authorities.

UN SPIDER Recommended Best Practice: Flood Hazard Assessment

Flood Hazard Assessment Model Validation

Overview:

Flood hazard assessments are critical to identifying areas at risk and taking relevant preparation and mitigation measures to address the hazard. Using the HEC-RAS 2D model for preparing flood hazard maps, this Recommended Practice explains how to identify flood-prone areas and exposed infrastructure. Through its focus on the prevention and mitigation stages of the disaster management cycle, it complements the Recommended Practice on Flood Mapping and Damage Assessment with Sentinel-2, also developed by SUPARCO.

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”.

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Floods, as natural disasters, are most commonly caused by storms and torrential rain or by overflowing lakes, rivers or oceans; this type of natural disaster is one of the most common and effects nearly every demographic and area on Earth. As they are wide-ranging disasters, floods leave disaster managers with a wide-range of concerns. The immediate concern during a disaster is that of human life and the infrastructure needed to offer emergency response through. Floods can wash away bridges and buildings, can destroy electricity systems and can even disconnect portions of cities or rural communities from the first responders who need to reach them. Long-term concerns caused by major floods focus on systemic damage; food is often the most serious concern as crops are destroyed and livestock drowns in major flood disasters. This Recommended Practice aims to create important disaster information for both the short- and long-term concerns of floods. The tool produces a flood extent map using Sentitnel-1 SAR images, as well as displays information about cropland and population centers affected in order to address the totality of major concerns that floods cause.

Application of Satellite Remote Sensing to Support Water Resources Management in Latin America and the Caribbean

Host

Centro Internacional de Hidroinformática (CIH)

Location

Foz de Iguazú, Brazil

Date Range

Monday, July 11, 2016 to Wednesday, July 20, 2016

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The main theme of the conference is

IAHR Global online Dialogue Net Zero and Water : National Approaches and Solution

Free and Live Streamed IAHR Global online Dialogue Net Zero and Water : National Approaches and Solution is happening on 25 November 2022.

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This webinar will explore the ways USAID and NASA are working with partners to use water data for improved climate resilience. NASA Science Coordination Office Water Security Lead Chinmay Deval will moderate a panel discussion with water experts from across the SERVIR global network.

IAHR Webinar on Changes in the Cryosphere and the Impact on Engineering

While the global efforts in climate change action is to culminate during the COP27 in Egypt, IAHR is making our own contributions by convening this webinar to discuss changes in the Cryosphere and the impact on engineering.

EOTEC DevNet July meetups: Flood forecasting and early warning in focus – Africa region

Join our 9-10 July 2025 flood meet-ups for region-specific conversations on innovations in flood forecasting, early warning and anticipatory action. Along with presentations of innovative tools and platforms, we will hear from experts about efforts to engage communities and build integrated flood management capacity. This event is organised by EOTEC DevNet. The connection link is in the Programme.

Africa region – July 9 (13:00-14:15 UTC)

FastFlood Global Platform Launch Webinar

FastFlood Global, the successor to FastFlood, will be launched in November.

The new system is pre-parameterized using high-resolution elevation models, allowing users to generate flood maps for any location on Earth within seconds, with resolutions of up to 1 meter.

To introduce the platform, three online webinars will be held during the second week of November. Each session will include an overview of the system, a demonstration, and time for questions.

Webinar Schedule:

Copernicus for Africa

Free registration

There is still a need in the African region for the development of technologies for the effective management of water supply. Satellite images may hold the key to resolving this issue. Processed satellite data can aid in flood mapping and drought forecasting, considerably enhancing the efficiency of water use. In this context, the partnership between the EU and Africa on the implementation of Copernicus services contributes to sustainable development, scientific cooperation, and the socioeconomic growth of African countries.

Virtual Training Workshop: EO and Copernicus for Disaster Risk Reduction

Floods and droughts are some of the most frequent natural disasters that can become a major threat to livelihoods, food-security, infrastructure and even life. Remote sensing and earth observation provide valuable tools to monitor ongoing floods and drought, assess the current situation from space and produce products that can support stakeholders and decision makers.

EOTEC DevNet July meetups: Flood forecasting and early warning in focus – Americas region

Americas region – July 9 (16:00-17:15 UTC)

1st IAHR and 4th CAE International Conference on Global Water Security and Sustainable Development

The 1st IAHR and 4th CAE International Conference on Global Water Security and Sustainable Development will be held by the Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University and Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute in Nanjing (China) from October 30th to November 3rd, 2023.

Spatial droughts and floods: understanding, modelling, and prediction

"Spatial droughts and floods: understanding, modelling, and prediction" is part of The Topical Webinar Series hosted by the Core Modelling and Forecasting Team of the Global Water Futures program is a weekly event from May to August. In contrast to thematic webinars, this series highlights science advances from across the globe and aims to spur critical discussions that will improve our understanding and capability in modelling and managing cold-region hydrology.

To register, please email prabin.rokaya@usask.ca.

43rd International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium 2023

The International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) is the world’s premier symposium on geoscience, remote sensing and related topics. The 43rd annual IGARSS is going be to held in person with the theme of “Reconnecting” with our peers and community. This is an ideal forum for obtaining up-to-date information about the latest developments, exchanging ideas, identifying future trends and making networking with the international geoscience and remote sensing community.

EOTEC DevNet July meetups: Flood forecasting and early warning in focus – Asia-Oceania region

Asia-Oceania region – July 10 (04:00-05:15 UTC)

30th Danube Conference 2023

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The 40th IAHR World Congress in Vienna, Austria 2023

The 40th IAHR World Congress in Vienna, Austria, from August 21st to 25th, 2023.

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United Nations/Islamic Republic of Iran Workshop on the Space Technology Applications for Drought, Flood and Water Resource Management

Event Organisers:

Online event organized jointly by:

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs through the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) and the Islamic Republic of Iran

Hosted by:

Ministry of I.C.T. (The Iranian Space Agency)

XVIII World Water Congress

Water is for all, including humans and nature. As a precious natural resource, water plays a vital role in meeting human needs, preserving the environment and developing our countries. Thus, water management should consider, coordinate and balance the various needs, and fundamentally achieve harmony, which embodies a dynamic, coordinated, appropriate and equitable relationship, between humans and nature.

EOTEC DevNet July meetups: Flood forecasting and early warning in focus – Europe region

Europe region – July 10 (13:00-14:15 UTC)

United Nations/Ghana/PSIPW - 5th International conference on the use of space technology for water resources management

Rationale and context

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Government of Ghana are jointly organizing a Conference with the support of the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW) to promote the use of space technology in water management to the benefit of developing countries.

The Conference will be held in Accra, Ghana, from 10- 13 May 2022, hosted by the University of Energy and Natural Resources on behalf of the Government of Ghana.

Local Perspectives Case Studies

Transboundary early warning systems for reducing water-related disasters in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region

Transboundary rivers such as Koshi, Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra flow through multiple countries presenting challenges for flood management and early warning systems. In 2016, a glacial lake outburst flood originating in the Xizang Region of China resulted in huge damage to the 45 MW Upper Bhote Koshi Hydropower project. In 2008, floods in the Koshi river impacted more than 4 million people living in the downstream and killing more than 500. The absence of effective coordination and information sharing between countries sharing a transboundary river basin hinders the development and implementation of robust early warning systems. To minimize these impacts, a multi-faceted approach is essential, including enhancing early warning systems, improving infrastructure resilience, promoting sustainable land management, and implementing community-based disaster risk reduction strategies. In a data sparse region such as the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) Earth observations from space are crucial to manage water resources for the benefit of people and the environment, to support in providing important forecasting services for better preparedness to prevent water-related disasters such as floods and droughts.

Deltares

Deltares is an independent institute for applied research in the field of water, subsurface and infrastructure. Throughout the world, we work on smart solutions, innovations and applications for people, environment and society.

UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is a world-leading independent research institute focused on delivering integrated environmental science to address some of the most pressing challenges facing society and the planet. With over 50 years of expertise, UKCEH operates at the interface of ecology, hydrology, atmospheric science, and data science, providing evidence and tools to support sustainable environmental management.

Geohazard Risk Mapping Initiative

The Geohazards Risk Mapping Initiative is an initiative that deploys volunteer youths, who are skilled at using Geographic Information Systems and satellite imagery analysis to create flood susceptibility and post-disaster maps in Nigeria.

GEO - Global Water Sustainability

Established in 2017 by the Group on Earth Observations - Water Community, GEOGloWS is a voluntary mechanism created by informal agreement among multiple partners from inside and outside the UN system. This mechanism allows for engagement and greater integration with trans-national organizations and agencies with water responsibilities at the National and Local levels.

RSS-Hydro

Diverse and dynamic R&D company operating across geospatial fields for a more sustainable future - Earth Observation, remote sensing, drones, and modelling of water risks. We are determined to make the world a more sustainable and resilient place, including the SDG targets 1, 2, 6, 13, 15, and 17 in our mission and daily activities. We offer:

Muhungi

Claire Muhungi

Ag Deputy Director Kenya Space Agency

Nelson

E. James (Jim) Nelson

Professor of Civil & Construction Engineering at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah

Dr. Nelson is a Professor of Civil & Construction Engineering at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He has been a pioneer in developing geospatial hydrologic modeling and hydroinformatics tools and is the principal developer of the Watershed Modeling System (WMS) which since the 1990’s has been widely disseminated and used for development of hydrologic models and visualization of results. In recent years he and his colleagues at BYU developed Tethys Platform, free and open-source tools that lower the barrier for engineers to create web-applications for hydroinformatics.

Abbas

Sawaid Abbas

Assistant Professor Smart Sensing for Climate and Development, GIS Centre, University of the Punjab Centre for Geographical Information, University of the Punjab

Sawaid is a spatial data scientist who works at the nexus of earth science, ecology and climate change through leveraging remote sensing, machine learning, and strong domain knowledge. His key work involves forest succession, drought, and rangelands which were accomplished through collaboration with institutions like WWF, ICIMOD, ICRAF, AFCD, and KFBG.

van den Bout

Bastian van den Bout

Assistant Professor University of Twente - Faculty ITC

Bastian van den Bout is a researcher at Twente University, and the founder of FastHazard, the spinoff company developing the FastFlood.org model. He has a passion to develop tools that allow for state-of-the-art flood technologies and models to be used easily in vulnerable communities. FastFlood.org and FastSlide.org are two recent models that link automatically with global datasets and allow for groundbreaking simulation speeds. His work has involved large-scale research projects, national-scale hazard mapping and education and supervision for students.

Bruscolini

Margherita Bruscolini

Geospatial & Earth Scientist, Drone Pilot at GLOBHE

Interdisciplinary Earth Scientist with a background in geologic/environmental sciences and international experience working with Earth Observation, remote sensing, drones, and hydrological/flood modeling to study water risks, extreme events, and climate change impacts. Passionate about sustainability, environmental protection, and innovations that can make a real impact, I'm participating in the activities of the humanitarian sector, working on development aid projects, participating to the WFP Drones Technical Working Group, and assisting the work of NGOs during Mapathons.

Engdaw

Mastawesha Engdaw

PH.D. candidate and member of research project Climate Change –Uncertainties, Thresholds and Coping Strategies at Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change.

Mastawesha Misganaw Engdaw is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Graz since November 2018. Prior to joining the University of Graz, he had been a Researcher and Lecturer at Jimma University, where he started his academic career, in Ethiopia. He also contributed to coordinating research projects. Mastawesha’s academic background covers Geo-information Science and Earth Observation, Water Resources Management and Hydrology, and multiple aspects of Climate Change.

Aeman

Hafsa Aeman

Senior Research Officer - Geoinformatics, CGIAR International Water Management Institute

Hafsa Aeman is a Senior Research Officer at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Pakistan. In this capacity, she is deeply involved in various projects, notably the Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) and NEXU Gains initiatives, both supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO). These projects are geared towards augmenting capacity for water resource management at the provincial and district levels.

Islam

Sharif Islam

Postdoctoral Researcher at MIT Media Lab

Sharif Islam is a postdoctoral research associate at MIT Media Lab. His work involves the application of remote sensing and geospatial modeling and statistical tools and techniques to analyze satellite and geospatial data. Prior to joining MIT, Sharif completed his PhD in Geospatial and Environmental Science from Virginia Tech, where his research focused on coastal erosion hazard and associated vulnerabilities in Bangladesh.

Dekongmen

Benjamin Wullobayi Dekongmen

PhD Candidate University of Energy and Natural Resources

Benjamin is a poised and passionate Geospatial enthusiast and Environmental Hydrologist with a strong research focus on Groundwater Recharge, Flood Risks Terrain and Climate Change modelling. He has a wide range of expertise in GIS and Remote Sensing, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), Python, and Google Earth Engine.

Ranasinghe

Padmi Ranasinghe

PhD Student at University of Texas at Arlington

Padmi Ranasinghe is a doctoral student in Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of Texas (UT) at Arlington, United States of America (USA), focusing on water management and climate change impacts in urban settings. She completed her Master of Science (MSc) degree in Environmental Science with academic excellence at the City University of New York-College of Staten Island and her second master’s degree in Regional Development and Planning at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Samanga

Ruvimbo Samanga

Research Fellow (UNECA, Open Lunar Foundation)

Ruvimbo Samanga studied Law at the University of Pretoria up to Masters Level. Her Masters dissertation was on the Investment and Space Policy aspects of satellite technology in Zimbabwe’s mining sector. She is the National Point of Contact for the UN Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) for Zimbabwe as well as the National Representative for Women in Aerospace Africa (WIAA), Zimbabwe chapter.

Shakya

Amin Shakya

PhD Candidate at University of Twente

Amin Shakya is a Doctoral Candidate at the ITC Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, the Netherlands. Amin is researching the application of Earth observations to monitor the world’s rivers. Amin has a double master's degree in Water Science and Engineering from IHE Delft, the Netherlands and TU Dresden, Germany. In addition, he is active in youth networks, most notably, the Groundwater Youth Network.

Software/Tool/(Web-)App

FastFlood

FastFlood.org tool is an innovative flood simulation tool developed and maintained by Dr. Bastian van den Bout. FastFlood enables fast and efficient flood scenario calculations. Originally developed in 2021, the model has undergone continuous improvements and now offers over 97% accuracy, while being up to 1500 times faster than traditional flood modelling methods. This speed makes it an ideal solution for quick risk assessments and initial analyses. The model is available as a web-based application and free to use.

FastFlood

Vegetation classification for land of Maori communtiy - in development

Note: this description is a work in progress developed by the collaborating entities in a workshop. If you would like to contribute reach out to office@space4water.org, or your trusted Space4Water point of contact.

Required Software

Google Earth Engine
Google Earth Engine Apps - Global Forest Change

Related Content

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Could you describe how your professional and/or personal experience relate to water? Where does your interest in water resources management come from? What influenced your decision to focus your work on the use of space technology for water management?

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Capacity Building and Training Material

UN SPIDER Recommended Practice: Mudslides and Associated Flood Detection Using Sentinel-1 Data

Overview:

UN SPIDER Recommended Best Practice: Flood Hazard Assessment

Overview:

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

Overview:

Recommended Practice: Flood Mapping and Damage Assessment using Sentinel-1 SAR data in Google Earth Engine

Application of Satellite Remote Sensing to Support Water Resources Management in Latin America and the Caribbean

Host

Location

Date Range

Event

LAND4FLOOD Conference 2023

IAHR Global online Dialogue Net Zero and Water : National Approaches and Solution

Webinar: Floods, Droughts, and Water Security: How Is Water Data Critical to Climate Resilience?

IAHR Webinar on Changes in the Cryosphere and the Impact on Engineering

EOTEC DevNet July meetups: Flood forecasting and early warning in focus – Africa region

FastFlood Global Platform Launch Webinar

Copernicus for Africa

Copernicus for Africa

Virtual Training Workshop: EO and Copernicus for Disaster Risk Reduction

EOTEC DevNet July meetups: Flood forecasting and early warning in focus – Americas region

1st IAHR and 4th CAE International Conference on Global Water Security and Sustainable Development

Spatial droughts and floods: understanding, modelling, and prediction

43rd International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium 2023

EOTEC DevNet July meetups: Flood forecasting and early warning in focus – Asia-Oceania region

30th Danube Conference 2023

The 40th IAHR World Congress in Vienna, Austria 2023

The 40th IAHR World Congress in Vienna, Austria, from August 21st to 25th, 2023.