Satellite water monitoring

• Grant number: 21/11621-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: June 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Physical Geography
• Principal Investigator: Marouan Bouali
• Grantee: Marouan Bouali
• Company: Orbty Soluções Ambientais e Engenharia Ltda
• CNAE: Serviços de engenharia ; Pesquisa e desenvolvimento experimental em ciências físicas e naturais
• City: Taubaté
• Associated researchers: Carolline Tressmann Cairo ; Diego Xavier Bezerra
• Associated research grant(s): 23/08380-9 - Geospatial monitoring of water quality in continental and coastal aquatic systems, AP.PIPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/12803-0 - Satellite water monitoring, BP.PIPE; 22/13002-0 - Satellite Water Monitoring, BP.TT

Abstract

Access to drinking water and sanitation are one of the bases of the UN Agenda 2030, which defines the goals for the social, economic, and environmental development of the Planet. In this context, water resource monitoring is becoming increasingly important due to the growing environmental degradation and demand for this resource. The planet earth has an increasingly dynamic and complex land surface as a result of growing human activities. The socio-economic growth of Brazil and other countries favor an increasing extraction of natural resources, construction of infrastructure, expansion of the agricultural sector, among others. All these activities, combined with climate change, have been increasing the impacts on continental water resources with ecological and socioeconomic consequences related to the water quantity and quality loss. However, fortunately, many of these potentially polluting activities and their consequences on water resources can be monitored using earth observation satellites. Advances in processing capacity and the increasing availability of Remote Sensing (RS) data make it possible to analyze long time series to identify degradation trends and the current situation of water resources. These results are crucial for water resources management and mitigation in reservoirs. In this sense, the company Ambiental Tech proposes to provide monitoring tools that will support decision making for the correct and effective management of water resources. The methodology will be developed based on the analysis of recent images and time series to detect water bodies and estimate water quality parameters. Using this information, it will be possible, among other solutions, to identify trends of degradation, such as eutrophication, the emergence of toxic algae blooms, increased sediment load in reservoirs, and identify the reservoir response to drought and flood events. Currently, these environments, when rarely monitored, use in situ point data or use remote sensing images to a limited extent. In this sense, the objective of the company Ambiental Tech is to provide technological solutions for water resources monitoring that is at the same time consistent, effective, and low cost for public agencies and private companies. (AU)