Summary
This modelling study demonstrates the operational viability of high-resolution satellite-based Earth observation data for hydrological applications in a data-rich region of northern Italy. Satellite-derived evaporation and snow depths marginally improved model efficiency (2–4% gain in mean KGE), whilst satellite-only calibration achieved skillful river discharge reconstruction despite satellite precipitation underperforming conventional data. The findings suggest a feasible pathway toward fully satellite-driven hydrological modelling, particularly valuable for ungauged regions where conventional monitoring networks are absent.
UK applicability
The approach may be transferable to UK water resource management and flood forecasting, though UK regions typically have denser conventional gauge networks than ungauged areas. The methodology would be most applicable to improving hydrological predictions in upland catchments with sparse ground instrumentation or in integrated water resource planning across river basins.
Key measures
Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE) at 27 river gauges; percentage improvement in mean KGE; river discharge reconstruction skill; model calibration performance using satellite versus ground-based data
Outcomes reported
The study evaluated six experiments using high-resolution satellite-derived data (precipitation, evaporation, soil moisture, snow depths) to force and calibrate a distributed hydrological model for the Po River basin. Model performance was assessed through river discharge predictions at 27 gauges, with efficiency measured using Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE) metrics.
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