Combining Multispectral Imagery with in situ Topographic Data Reveals Complex Water Level Variation in China’s Largest Freshwater Lake

Remote Sensing

Guiping Wu¹  Yuanbo Liu¹  Guy J-P. Schumann²  Deepak R. Mishra² 

[1] Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 21008, China; E-Mail:;Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 21008, China; E-Mail

关键词: MODIS;    in situ topographic data;    water level;    spatiotemporal variation;    Poyang Lake;   

DOI  :  10.3390/rs71013466

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Lake level variation is an important hydrological indicator of water balance, biodiversity and climate change in drainage basins. This paper illustrates the use of moderate-resolution imaging spectroadiometer (MODIS) data to characterize complex water level variation in PoyangLake, the largest freshwater lake in China. MODIS data were used in conjunction with in situ topographic data, otherwise known as the land-water contact method, to investigate the potential of this hybrid water level spatiotemporal variability measurement technique. An error analysis was conducted to assess the derived water level relative to gauge data. Validation results demonstrated that the land-water contact method can satisfactorily capture spatial patterns and seasonal variations in water level fluctuations. The correlation coefficient ranged from 0.684 to 0.835, the root-mean-square-error from 0.79 m–1.09 m, and the mean absolute bias error from 0.65 m to 0.86 m for five main gauge stations surrounding the lake. Additionally, seasonal and interannual variations in the lake’s water level were revealed in the MODIS-based results. These results indicate that the land-water contact method has the potential to be applied in mapping water level changes in Poyang Lake. This study not only provides a foundation for basic hydrological and ecological studies, but is also valuable for the conservation and management of water resources over gauge-sparse regions in Poyang Lake.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
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