Satellite remote sensing of river discharge: A framework for assessing the accuracy of discharge estimates made from satellite remote sensing observations

This research presents an evaluation of the accuracy and uncertainty of estimates of river discharge made using satellite observed data sources as input to a modified form of Manning’s equation. Conventional U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow gaging station data and in-situ measurements of width, depth, height, slope, discharge, and velocity from 30 USGS gage sites were used as ground-truth to assess accuracy. This study explores accuracy in relation to the amount of ground truth information available, the number of calibration points available, and the accuracy of the input data. This research indicates that remotely sensed discharge estimates associated with the modified Manning equation may be expected to have an uncertainty in range of 10% overall given a sufficient number of calibration points. The uncertainty associated with the modified Manning algorithm increased markedly for depths