Case Studies in Geospatial Applications to Groundwater Resources - Chapter 19 - Groundwater conservation and management: Recent trends and future prospects

In regions with sparse in situ monitoring and forecasting, water resources management (WRM) for sustainable development poses several challenges. Over the last decade, the rapid increase of satellite-based information has brought unprecedented ways to support and strengthen WRM. Moreover, traditional barriers to satellite data availability and use are eroding as technological advancements open better ways to manage and convey this wealth of evidence to a larger audience. We look at the data requirements for WRM and the importance that satellite remote sensing can compete in filling gaps and improving WRM, with an emphasis on developed and developing countries as an instance of a region with the prospects to further establish its resources while mitigating the effects of hydrological hazards. We talk about the prospects of recently launched, future ones, and suggested missions to improve and transform water resource management and analysis. To best leverage the functionality of satellite-based information for enhancing WRM, ongoing issues of accuracy, sampling, and consistency must be discussed, as well as additional challenges associated to tremendous amounts of new data.