Click on the appropriate 10 degree sheet to display maps of past and present surface water variability.

All sheets are currently (late 2008) being reformatted to match this example.

Explanation:

This Dynamic Atlas illustrates inland and coastal surface water changes observed by orbital remote sensing since 1985 (most intensively, since late 1999). Water detected by NASA sensors during relatively normal conditions (from MODIS and SRTM; see individual map legends) provides a standard hydrography for comparison to water imaged during times of flood and drought.

The most recent flooding is shown in red, and recent drought-induced low water conditions are shown in yellow. The severity and geographic extent of such new events can be assessed by comparison to previous flood and low water history and also by accessing the associated River Watch sites (clickable black circles on the maps).

This Atlas, and its associated River Watch sites, provides fundamental observational information for the determination of future flood risk. The coupled site and map information can also be used to predict inundation from specific river discharges, or to estimate other impacts of changing surface water. As satellite-based mapping work proceeds, an increasingly comprehensive view of the long term variability of the Earth's surface water is emerging.

Caution: Floods in mountainous regions are difficult remote sensing targets and not always observable via satellite. Additionally, cloud cover or other imaging constraints may restrict the ability to capture peak inundation. The maps do not illustrate all areas of flood hazard.

Some sample regional maps from older versions of this Atlas are provided below.

United States

Central America

Series of Mekong Basin Flood Hazard Maps for individual years 2000 through 2006

2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

Dartmouth Flood Observatory Homepage