The Role of Satellite Observation in Australian Water Resources Monitoring

Where dense on-ground water resources monitoring networks do not exist, satellite observation can play a key role. The Australian water resources assessment system (AWRA) couples hydrological models and combines these with on-ground and satellite observations. Some satellite observations are currently being used in the operational system but there is potential for much greater use. Opportunities include improved precipitation and model parameter estimation, data assimilation, model evaluation and model-data synthesis. Operational challenges include the reliability of satellite missions and data services, and the computational overheads associated with data assimilation. For successful use of satellite observations, detailed information on observational error and the relationship between remotely-sensed and model variables is critical.