Abstract

LEDEZMA PERIZZA, Fernando Arturo  and  LEDEZMA PERIZZA, Mauricio. Monitoring Water Levels in Reservoirs Using Satellite Altimetry:Case Study in Cochabamba, Bolivia. RevActaNova. [online]. 2023, vol.11, n.2, pp.91-104.  Epub Nov 30, 2023. ISSN 1683-0789.  https://doi.org/10.35319/acta-nova.20232.

This article is the result of one of the sub-projects of the project "Improving the conservation and management of biodiversity by monitoring the ecological and social impacts of hydroelectric megaprojects in Bolivia", carried out in the years 2020 to 2023 by the Universidad Mayor de San Simón, the Bolivian Catholic University, and the University of Bonn in Germany.

In this study, the importance of using images from the Sentinel- 1 satellite mission, which employs Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology for Earth observation, is highlighted. This technology allows continuous information to be obtained from bodies of water during the day and night, as well as under various environmental conditions, such as the presence of clouds. To analyze and improve the results, the phase difference between the radar signals is used, providing topographic and deformation information in different polarization modes (VV and HH). Data correlation and visualization techniques, such as maps and color graphs, are also used to facilitate interpretation of the results.

Monitoring of water levels in reservoirs is done using radar interferometry (InSAR), a technique used by Sentinel-1 to measure changes in the Earth's surface. This technique combines SAR images taken at different times over the same area to create an interferogram, which provides precise measurements of lake level changes. By analyzing the time series of these data, long- term trends and seasonal variations can be identified, helping to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of reservoirs.

In this article, two case studies of reservoirs are presented: Corani and Misicuni in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Reservoir level monitoring information obtained at the site is available, which is correlated with the results obtained by radar interferometry, showing good results in the comparison of these data.

Keywords : Sentinel 1; Water Level Monitoring; InSAR; Corani; Misicuni; Cochabamba.

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