Topic 2g - Water Resources Management
Global water resources are being depleted at an alarming rate as a result of unprecedented population growth and widespread unsustainable management practises, and water resources are being polluted and over-exploited on unprecedented scales. Currently, millions of people, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, lack access to safe drinking water. Agricultural irrigation continues to be the largest consumer of fresh water resources, accounting for roughly 70% of total freshwater use, with this figure expected to rise by another 20% by 2050.
Water resource management is a critical part of many development challenges, and the ability of satellite data to provide insights and continuous monitoring enables new solutions in this key area. For example, in poorly gauged basins, real-time satellite estimates of precipitation and derived streamflow forecasts at several-day intervals can assist managers in allocating water among users and operating reservoirs more efficiently. Data on river and lake surface elevation can be used to estimate flow in upper basins and predict flow downstream in large rivers. Soil moisture observations can help forecast and monitor drought conditions, as well as provide insight into how much irrigation is required. Water managers in snow-dominated areas can use snow cover and snow water equivalent estimates to determine how much water is in storage and which watersheds it is stored in.
Earth Observation also allows for the monitoring of many surface water quality parameters in order to assess the effects of river basin management policies, land use practises, and nonpoint-source pollution, as well as the likelihood of algal blooms and other threats to the quality of water supply systems.
In this film, we hear about examples of impact in diverse development contexts, including agriculture, post-disaster reconstruction and urban planning.
Water Resource Management Tools
Featured Educators:
- Ellen Hamilton, World Bank
- Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez, (Formerly World Bank)
- Bekzod Shamsiev, World Bank
- Sameh Wahba, World Bank
MOOC topics
In this MOOC, each topic is introduced through a video with supporting text.
We have also provided a range of optional further reading, links, and additional resources to help consolidate your learning. Here is a summary of what is available:
Topic links and resources
In each topic, once you have watched the video and read the accompanying text, you will find the following information:
- Optional Further Reading: These are external links to further reading and other resources.
- Featured Images and Featured Animations: Below the text on Topic video page, you will find the featured images and featured animations that were shown in the Topic video.
- Interactives: On the 'Interactives' tab on relevent topic pages, you will find some interactive data viewers (e.g. ESA's Climate from Space tool), allowing you to explore a selection of data relevant to the themes and topics in this MOOC.
Quizzes
- Quizzes: At the end of each Chapter (and in the middle of Chapter 2) there will be a quiz consisting of around five questions. These will help you consolidate your understanding of new topics, but are not scored. The feedback given with answers will also provide you with important information. These quizzes are informal and therefore there is no formal scoring.
Certificate
- Participation certificates are available for this MOOC, you can request one using the form at the end of the course.
- ESA GDA AID Water Resources
- World Bank report on Earth Observation for Water Resources Management
- World Bank OLC: Earth Observation for Sustainable Development: Satellite based Services for Water Management (Login required)
- ESA Climate from Space Story on “Sinking City Jakarta”
- JRC Global Surface Water Explorer
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