Monitoring Water From Space: An Illustration in Death Valley, California

Abstract

Climate change and human activity are dramatically reshaping how water is distributed on Earth. High quality observations and products that bridge the gap between low-level data and actionable information are needed to support the understanding of current and future water availability. Two new developments are addressing these needs. The SWOT satellite is measuring water elevation with unprecedented detail, while the OPERA project is turning satellite observations into clear, interpretable maps of surface water extent. Together, these represent a major advance in our ability to measure and monitor water from space. We demonstrate their capability by tracking the transformation of Badwater Basin, Death Valley–one of the driest, hottest places on Earth–into an ephemeral lake following extreme precipitation events starting with Hurricane Hilary in August 2023. As a challenging area to understand water dynamics, Badwater Basin serves as a model for how these new observations enable more effective water management.