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| Titel |
Characterizing floods in the poorly gauged wetlands of the Tana River Delta, Kenya, using a water balance model and satellite data |
| VerfasserIn |
C. Leauthaud, G. Belaud, S. Duvail, R. Moussa, O. Grünberger, J. Albergel |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1027-5606
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ; 17, no. 8 ; Nr. 17, no. 8 (2013-08-01), S.3059-3075 |
| Datensatznummer |
250018953
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/hess-17-3059-2013.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
Wetlands, such as those of the Tana River Delta in Kenya, are vital but
threatened ecosystems. The flooding characteristics of wetlands largely
determine their physical, chemical and biological properties, so their
quantification is crucial for wetland management. This quantification can be
achieved through hydrological modelling. In addition, the analysis of
satellite imagery provides essential hydrological data to monitor floods in
poorly gauged zones.
The objective of this study was to quantify the main water fluxes and
flooding characteristics (extent, duration and number of floods) in the
poorly gauged Tana River Delta in East Africa during 2002–2011. To do so, we
constructed a lumped hydrological model (the Tana Inundation Model, TIM) that
was calibrated and validated with MODIS data. Further analysis of the MYD09A1
500 m composite product provided a map of the empirical probability of
flooded state. In non-extreme years and for the current topology of the
delta, the flood extent exceeded 300 km2. Floods over 200 km2
occurred on average once a year, with a mean duration of 18 days. River
discharge from the upper basin counted for over 95% of the total water
inflow. The results are discussed in the light of possible improvements of
the models and wetland management issues.
This study provides the first known quantification of spatial and temporal
flooding characteristics in the Tana River Delta. As such, it is essential
for the water and natural resource management of the Tana River basin. The
water balance approach was pertinent to the study of this system, for which
information on its internal properties and processes is limited. The
methodology, a combination of hydrological modelling and flood mapping using
MODIS products, should be applicable to other areas, including those for
which data are scarce and cloud cover may be high, and where a medium spatial
resolution is required. |
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