Water Level and Discharge Measurements in Support of the SWOT Satellite Mission

SZUPIANY, RICARDO; OBERG, KEVIN; GARCIA, CARLOS M.; DÍAZ LOZADA, JOSE; MINEAR, TOBY

Fort Collins, Colorado

Conferencia; Hydraulic Measurements & Experimental Methods; 2023

Fort Collins, Colorado

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite is designed to make the first-ever global survey of Earth's surface water. The satellite will survey at least 90% of the globe, studying Earth's lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and ocean at least once every 21 days to improve ocean circulation models, weather and climate predictions, and to aid in freshwater management around the world. It will collect detailed measurements of how water bodies on Earth change over time. In the calibration and validation phase of SWOT deployment, the satellite will make repeat orbits (referred to as fast-sampling orbits) in order to obtain water level data twice daily. The Parana River (Argentina), the 9th largest river in the world, is an anabranching river that runs in a south-southwesterly direction. The size and the complex pattern of the Paraná River make it one of particular interest to scientists involved with the application of SWOT to rivers around the world. During the calibration and validation phase of SWOT, one of the fast-sampling orbits will pass over the Paraná River middle reach, from the cities of Corrientes to Rosario; a 640 km stretch. This presents an opportunity to collect independent water level data to aid in the validation of SWOT.In March 2023, water level sensors will be deployed in the main channel of the Parana River and several important branches, such as the Rio Colastiné, Rio Santa Fe, the Santa Fe port access channel, and the Setubal lagoon. Additional water level sensors will be deployed in the main branch downstream of Santa Fe. Discharge measurements will be obtained at each cross section where water levels are measured. Finally, longitudinal profiles of water levels upstream and downstream of Santa Fe will be obtained using specialized GPS technology (GNSS SOP). These data will be used to evaluate and enhance algorithms to estimate discharges in rivers around the world using SWOT. This presentation will be used to illustrate the complex interaction between the Parana (main channel) and some of its important branches. Preliminary results from the March and April 2023 measurement campaign will be presented.