Sentinel-1 data reveals unprecedented reduction of open water extent due to 2023-2024 drought in the central Amazon basin
Abstract In 2023, an intense drought impacted the Amazon basin triggered by climate change and a strong El Niño event, with the Negro River reaching its lowest water level in 120 years. However, the spatiotemporal open water extent (OWE) during this drought remains unclear. This study comprehensively evaluates OWE variability in the central Amazon using Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data since 2017. Monthly OWE masks were generated through an empirical threshold classification with accuracy >95%. Overall, the central Amazon experienced a reduction of ∼8% in OWE in the 2023 dry season months (November and December) when compared to monthly-average. However, reductions of up to 80% in OWE were observed in several specific lakes. Our analysis underscores the unprecedented severity of the 2023/2024 drought on rivers and floodplains. Utilizing SAR remote sensing technologies, this study emphasizes the urgent need for proactive conservation measures to safeguard the Amazon’s ecological integrity amid escalating environmental challenges. Monthly water masks from January/2017 to September/2024 are available here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12751783 .
Authors
- Cláudio Clemente Faria Barbosa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3221-9774)
- Daniel Andrade Maciel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4543-5908)
- Renata Pacheco Quevedo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7528-9166)
- Evlyn Márcia Leão de Moraes Novo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1223-9276)
- Marie‐Paule Bonnet
- Alice César Fassoni‐Andrade (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3233-8781)
- Fellipe Lousada
Institutions
- Universidade de Brasília (BR)
- University of Liège (BE)
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Universidad Católica del Uruguay (UY)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Environmental Research Letters
- Published
- 2024-11-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad8a71
- Citations
- 20
- Primary Topic
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.65
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Biodiversa+
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
- Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
- Norges Forskningsråd