Regional data sets of high-resolution (1 and 6 km) irrigation estimates from space

• DOI: 10.5194/essd-15-1555-2023
• Publication Date: 2023-04-05T11:40:16Z
• Authors: Jacopo Dari; Luca Brocca; Sara Modanesi; Christian Massari; Angelica Tarpanelli; Silvia Barbetta; Raphael Quast; Mariette Vreugdenhil; Vahid Freeman; Anaïs Barella-Ortiz; Pere Quintana-Seguí; David Bretreger; Espen Volden
• Keywords: 550; IMPROVE SOIL-MOISTURE; ASSIMILATION; BACKSCATTER; Sustainable Development Goals; UNITED-STATES; COMBINING SATELLITE; 01 natural sciences; irrigation water; remote sensing; SURFACE-WATER; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences; GE1-350; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary; SDG 6; RAINFALL; Irrigation; irrigation estimates; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences; 2. Zero hunger; QE1-996.5; Science & Technology; Murray-Darling; High resolution satellite products; Geology; 15. Life on land; Po; 6. Clean water; MODEL; SENTINEL-1; Environmental sciences; Ebro; agricultural districts; European Space Agency (ESA); 13. Climate action; LAND EVAPORATION; Physical Sciences; irrigation water;; soil moisture

Abstract. Irrigation water use represents the primary source of freshwater consumption by humans. The amount withdrawals for agricultural purposes is expected to further increase in upcoming years face rising world population and higher living standards. Hence, effective plans enacting a rational management are urgent, but they limited knowledge gaps about irrigation. Detailed information on irrigation dynamics (i.e., extents, timing, amounts) generally lacking worldwide, satellite observations can be used fill this gap. This paper describes first regional-scale high-resolution (1 6 km) data sets obtained from observations. products developed over three major river basins characterized varying extents methodologies, as well different climatic conditions. an outcome European Space Agency (ESA) Irrigation+ project. amounts have been estimated through SM-based (soil-moisture-based) inversion approach Ebro basin (northeastern Spain), Po valley (northern Italy), Murray–Darling (southeastern Australia). satellite-derived referring case studies Europe spatial resolution 1 km, retrieved exploiting Sentinel-1 soil moisture RT1 (first-order Radiative Transfer) model. A sampling km instead Australian pilot area, since comes CYGNSS (Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System) All delivered with weekly temporal aggregation. two regions cover period ranging January 2016 July 2020, while estimates available time span April 2017–July 2020. compared benchmark rates collected selected districts. Results highlight satisfactory performances part sites falling within semiarid climate, namely, basins, quantified median values RMSE, Pearson correlation r, bias equal 12.4 mm/14 d, 0.66, −4.62 respectively, 10.54 mm/month, 0.77, −3.07 basin. assessment affected availability situ reference made scientific community validation at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7341284 (Dari et al., 2022a).