Remote sensing applications in water resources domain provides key inputs for planning, monitoring and management of several irrigation projects, estimation of availability of surface water resources and various water balance components and as a science application addresses all the hydrological components of local and regional water cycle. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a reliable and effective tool for storing, managing, and displaying spatial data in water resources management. There has been rise in the application of GIS in water resources. The strength of dynamic multi-sensor / satellite-based information has provided scope for the development of water resources information systems at various levels.
Satellite imageries help in determination of various water quality parameters like Total Suspended Solids, turbidity, chlorophyll content, colour, temperature etc. with the hep of Visible, Reflected Infrared bands of the Electromagnetic Spectrum. Satellite imageries obtained from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), Linear Imaging and Self Scanning (LISS) and Wide Field Sensor (WiFS) can be used for calculation of drainage basin area, drainage density.
Flood forecasting and early warning using space and aerial inputs in flood prone river reaches, estimation of water balance components on regular time interval, snow cover area estimation and snow melt runoff modelling, Glacier Lake and Snow Cover Monitoring in cold region, Evapotranspiration and irrigation scheduling studies, hydrological drought assessment, Irrigation Infrastructure Monitoring, assessment of sedimentation rates in reservoirs, estimation of Water resources availability of the country, Pre-Feasibility Studies of Proposed Irrigation Projects, Mapping & Monitoring of Surface Water Bodies, Snow Cover Mapping and Monitoring, flood plain management, river migration and river control works, Pre-feasibility of Studies of Hydro-Power Projects, Water Resources Information Systems.
