Objectives of the service
Water resilience assessments are typically conducted either at a national level or within small test regions. resulting in fragmented monitoring maps categorised by different parameters. This approach results in a plethora of maps and statistics that, while theoretically informative, are difficult to understand due to their fragmented nature, especially for non-scientists
To address this, Marple develops a unique approach that integrates water availability, quality, and accessibility using satellite data, EO scripts and machine learning. Our goal is to create a single digital map that comprehensively visualises the overall level of water stress.
Using Sentinel satellite data with global coverage, multi-temporal capabilities, and a high resolution capability of 10 metres, our solution provides an enhanced level of granularity that can be flexibly scaled to monitor areas across various scales.
Users and their needs
WARM targets several customer segments, in particular Climate Monitoring Organisations, Development Aid Organisations, Private Companies and Governmental Organisations.
Marple works with ADRA and Dalberg Research in Kenya and provides data about water availability, accessibility, and quality so that they can set targets within their projects and activities which can be measured with a baseline and change monitoring over time. Besides Kenya, Marple analyses the priority basin of the Guadalquivir River in Andalucía.
The concrete user needs are to
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identify water stress in localised areas.
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assess situations in specific regions regarding water availability, accessibility, and quality.
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monitor changes and measure improvements or deteriorations.
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visualise the status and changes in a simple, elegant way.
Service/ system concept
WARM provides the user with an interactive web-based map showing water stress resilience based on three criteria:
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Water availability
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Water accessibility
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Water quality
Users are able to look at a region and assess general conditions, enabling detailed analysis of specific parts in a higher detail to comprehend the current situation as well as historical patterns in order to plan their projects based on reliable information.
Space Added Value
WARM uses satellite data from Sentinel-1 (SAR), Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 (optical), and EnMAP (hyperspectral). Water surface area and spatio-temporal changes are calculated from Sentinel-1 data, whereas water quality is inferred from optical and hyperspectral data. Ground data includes environmental open data, authoritative agencies datasets and sensor data from control networks where available. Water indexes, such as MNDWI (Modified Normalised Difference Water Index) and colour indexes, are included in the data analysis.
The use of satellite data provided by Copernicus Services allows us to monitor large areas continuously and accurately, reducing the need for extensive ground control networks.
The added value comes from the insights gained by combining satellite data with existing ground data, followed by the application of machine learning algorithms to identify patterns. These patterns open up new ways of understanding past, present and predicting future developments.
Current Status
Marple conducted interviews with three potential organisations interested in a water resilience map for different purposes. WARM has been presented to the CEO Water Mandate and is discussed with member companies to match needs with WARM's capabilities.
Technical feasibility is currently being assessed and various satellites, bands and indices are being incorporated into the data analysis activities in order to design the product features and produce overviews of key findings for each basin.
Prime Contractor(s)
