Assessing the Accuracy of Passive Microwave Estimates of Snow Water Equivalent in Data-Scarce Regions for Use in Water Resource Applications: A Case Study in the Upper Helmand Watershed, Afghanistan

摘要

Winter snowpack is a significant contributor to water supply in many regions of the world and accurate estimates of the snow water equivalent (SWE) are necessary for water resource planning. Satellite data are an attractive source of snow information in remote regions with limited ground data. The objective of this study is to assess passive microwave SWE in the Upper Helmand Watershed in Afghanistan where snowmelt is a primary source of water. Passive microwave SWE data were compared over six winter seasons, 2004-2009, to an independent estimate of SWE using a snow hydrology model. The snow hydrology model was calibrated to high-resolution snow covered area images and observed reservoir levels. The model was initialized with passive microwave SWE data and found to improve results in years when input precipitation was low. The results showed that passive microwave SWE has potential to provide valuable water resource information in this data-scarce region.