Inundation Risk in Large Tropical Basins and Potential Survey from Radar Altimetry: Example in the Amazon Basin

Abstract

Altimetry turns out to be a highly valuable source of data in remote areas such as the unmonitored wetlands at the upstream part of contributors in continental-scale basins. We illustrate this for the Amazon basin, in the area of upper Rio Madeira, where the inundation risk increased recently on populations downstream because of changes in the local economy. With use of satellite altimetry, the hydrological relationship between the main stem and the related water bodies that cyclically retain and liberate large amounts of water can be explained with sufficient details to aid in risk mitigation.

Keywords:

• Hydrology
• satellite altimetry
• ungauged basins