PRESENTATION OF THE SPACE HYDROLOGY STUDY

The proper management of water resources on the African continent is a major scientific and societal challenge, not least because of the climate and demographic changes that are underway and are predicted. According to the World Meteorological Organisation in its report ‘State of the Climate in Africa 2021’, between 1991 and 2021 the average rise in temperatures in Africa was around +0.3°C per decade, water stress in Africa is currently affecting around 250 million people, sea levels on the African coast are rising faster than the global average, and the drop in river flow in West Africa is due to rising temperatures, droughts and increased demand for water. According to the same report, irregular water supplies and additional pressure on already limited water resources could increase the risk of conflict and displacement, and by 2030 four out of five African countries will not have sustainably managed water resources, and 108 to 116 million people are expected to be threatened by rising sea levels. To address these issues, space hydrology, using space altimetry and optical and radar imagery, offers solutions for collecting and analysing data on large spatial and temporal scales

Hydrometeorological data such as lake and river levels, river discharges, water quality, precipitation, evaporation and evapotranspiration, soil moisture, land use and occupation, etc. are collected and analysed on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Through its many applications, spatial hydrology can therefore supplement and increase the density of in situ data sets, which are sometimes non-existent, improve the diachronic monitoring of available and mobilisable continental water resources, and support decision-making in the management of hydro-climatic disasters. However, Africa's technical and infrastructural expertise in the use of these data (spatial and in situ) and the interpretation of the results following their processing still needs to be improved. This is particularly true following the recent launch in December 2022 of the 'SWOT' space mission which provides data on river discharges and volume changes in lake water at very high resoluton, on a global scale, using a new instrument based on large swath interferometry.Consequently, strengthening the technical and human capacities of those involved in hydrology on the continent is more than decisive

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OBJECTIVES , TARGET PARTICIPANTS AND THEMATIC

In summary, this school aims to build scientific capacity in hydrology
It will, among other things:
● Understand the basics of the operation of satellite remote sensing.
● To receive theoretical training in space hydrology;
● To participate in conferences related to new approaches to space hydrology and their applications;
● Participate in workshops and practical work on data analysis tools and methods in space hydrology;
● Participate in a mini in situ data collection campaign;
● Improve the skills of participants for an integrated approach to data analysis and hydrological modelling;
● Promote exchanges and collaboration among future participants in order to address the societal challenges of regional hydrology specific to their countries;

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AfrhySpace TV

• Engineers
• Researchers
• Doctoral students
• Masters students

  • Hydrometeorology
  • Metrology
  • Modelling (Introduction)
  • Innovation (SWOT)
  • River basin management
  • River level, river flow
  • Forecast of floods and droughts
  • Water storage water quality
  • In situ data
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Hydraulics
  • Hydrometeorology