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High resolution SWE in selected mountain regions

We propose to produce a snow water equivalent (SWE)  product at a spatial resolution of 20 meters. The product will be available for selected mountain basins in South Tyrol on a daily temporal resolution, updated on a yearly basis. We rely on a multi-sensor EO SWE reconstruction method using Sentinel-2, MODIS, potentially Sentinel-1 and in-situ data. The information will be of value for different applications such as earth system models, irrigation planning and hydro power planning (e.g. Eumetsat/ZAMG). The Province of South Tyrol is a local stakeholder planning to evaluate the data for their hydrological planning activities.

What is the challenge?

The Office of Hydrology and Dams in Bolzano, Italy, has an institutional task of forecasting floods and droughts. In order to improve the accuracy of their forecasts, they need better tree data to calibrate their hydrological model and compare their model output. They need this data to be free, simple to integrate into their systems, and available daily.

Our solution

The Open Earth Monitor Cyberinfrastructure project aims to provide free and simple data that can be integrated into existing systems.  The project will also make data readily accessible through direct connections with their systems. This will allow users to avoid time-consuming import and transformation processes. The project aims to provide data on a daily basis, which will allow users to compare the data with their own model outputs. This will produce a snow water equivalent product at a spatial resolution of 20 meters. The product will be available for selected mountain regions in South Tyrol on a daily temporal resolution, updated on a yearly basis. We rely on a multi-sensor EO SWE reconstruction method using Sentinel-2, MODIS, potentially Sentinel-1 and in-situ data.

Who will benefit?

This will provide easily accessible and free data for users in civil protection agencies who are tasked with forecasting floods and droughts. The project will also help users who have limited personnel resources and need to simplify their data processing. 

Target Partner Organizations
OEMC Leading Partner
Get in touch!

Valentina Premier
EURAC
valentina.premier@eurac.edu

Type of output

Snow water equivalent (20m), in-situ data integrated with South Tyrol province requirements

Technology readiness level

TRL3: Experimental proof of concept

Location

Italy

Links of interest
Related use-cases