CICTERRA   20351
CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES EN CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Remote sensing of suspended solid concentration in a reservoir with frequent wildland fires on its watershed
Autor/es:
BONANSEA, MATIAS; FERNANDEZ, ROCIO LUZ
Revista:
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Editorial:
I W A PUBLISHING
Referencias:
Año: 2013 vol. 67 p. 217 - 223
ISSN:
0273-1223
Resumen:
Wildland fire is an important disturbance factor that can cause severe ecological and watershed
damage. Depending on fire severity and watershed extension, reservoir suspended solids
concentration (SSC), which arrives through river load, is expected to increase. Satellite remote
sensing is an alternative technique to measure SSC in a reservoir. In this paper we evaluate the
applicability of multitemporal Landsat data for mapping and monitoring of the SSC in a reservoir
whose watershed was exposed to fires. Besides, we aim to identify catchment areas that have been
burned, estimating the level of burn severity that occurred because of the fire. The Landsat images
were radiometrically, atmospherically and geometrically corrected. Using the differenced normalized
burn ratio (dNBR) algorithm, the perimeter and severity of fire was mapped. A theoretical model to
characterize the distribution of SSC using multitemporal Landsat data was developed. The
relationship between burn severity maps, rainfall and SSC maps improved our understanding of
management actions on a reservoir which suffers frequent wildfires on its watershed. The theoretical
model here developed may be considered as a low cost measurement tool for water management
authorities, particularly when in-situ data are not available.