Estimating flooded area and mean water level using active and passive microwaves: the example of Paran´a River Delta floodplain

SALVIA, MARÍA MERCEDES; GRINGS, FRANCISCO MATIAS; FERRAZZOLI, PAOLO; BARRAZA, VERONICA; DOUNA, VANESA; PERNA, PABLO; KARSZENBAUM HAYDEE

Hidrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions

Copernicus GmbH

Año: 2011 vol. 8 p. 2895 - 2928

1812-2108

This paper describes a procedure to estimate both the fraction of flooded area and the mean water level in vegetated river floodplains by using a synergy of active and passive microwave signatures. In particular, C Band Envisat ASAR in Wide Scan mode and AMSR-E at X, Ku and Ka Band, are used. The method, which is an extension of previously developed algorithms based on passive data, exploits also model simulations of vegetation emissivity. The procedure is applied to a long flood event which occurred in the Paraná River Delta from December 2009 to April 2010. Obtained results are consistent with in situ measurements of river water level.