DFO—Flood Observatory

Climate-related natural disasters have increased significantly in the last few decades. However, conventional water monitoring systems such as discharge guaging stations, even if data are widely shared, have limitations for monitoring, understanding, and predicting these disasters. This chapter provides an overview of water-related products that the DFO (Dartmouth Flood Observatory)—Flood Observatory, in collaboration with other agencies and initiatives, has developed and shares. Most of these products are experimental and semi-operational and are based on freely-available satellite measurements and images. DFO preserves for public use a digital map record of the Earth’s changing surface water, conducts remote sensing-based water measurement, and mapping in “near real time” for humanitarian purposes, and supports and encourages operational uses of remote sensing-based surface water information. It is our vision that these products can support the larger hydrological community in an effort to reduce the impact of flooding and related natural disasters.