Hydrological extremes

In this insightful interview, Prof. Lakshmi shares how space technologies are transforming our understanding of Earth’s water systems. Using satellite sensors that detect visible, infrared, microwave, thermal, and gravity data, he studies key variables like soil moisture, precipitation, and vegetation to track water movement across the planet. As President of the American Geophysical Union’s Hydrology Section—home to nearly 10,000 global members—he helps coordinate scientific committees, awards, and one of the largest gatherings of Earth scientists at the AGU Annual Meeting. One of his many standout projects involves downscaling soil moisture data from NASA’s SMAP satellite. By integrating data from MODIS and VIIRS instruments, his team has refined soil moisture resolution from 9 km to as fine as 400 meters—which is critical for applications in agriculture, weather forecasting, and climate science. Looking ahead, he emphasizes the urgent need for efficient water use in agriculture, which consumes 70 per cent of global freshwater. He advocates for innovation and smarter water management, especially in the face of population growth and climate extremes. His advice to young professionals? Dive into water science—it’s at the heart of global challenges like droughts, floods, and wildfires. And when asked what drives innovation, his answer is simple: motivated young minds.

Urban waterlogging is an increasingly critical challenge particularly in cities where unplanned development, climate change, and inadequate drainage systems exacerbate the issue. Remote sensing provides a viable solution for detecting and managing urban waterlogging by providing real time and large-scale monitoring capabilities. Using satellite datasets such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), multispectral imaging, and thermal sensors urban planners can assess and monitor waterlogging. These datasets coupled with advanced algorithms like machine learning models allow for accurate predictions of waterlogged areas in the cities. Besides, the integration of these remote sensing tools with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enhances the ability to manage water resources and develop sustainable urban infrastructures. Despite challenges such as data resolution and high costs of advanced imagery, remote sensing remains a key tool in addressing the socio-economic and environmental impacts of urban waterlogging, particularly in the face of climate change and urbanization.

In this insightful interview, Prof. Lakshmi shares how space technologies are transforming our understanding of Earth’s water systems. Using satellite sensors that detect visible, infrared, microwave, thermal, and gravity data, he studies key variables like soil moisture, precipitation, and vegetation to track water movement across the planet. As President of the American Geophysical Union’s Hydrology Section—home to nearly 10,000 global members—he helps coordinate scientific committees, awards, and one of the largest gatherings of Earth scientists at the AGU Annual Meeting. One of his many standout projects involves downscaling soil moisture data from NASA’s SMAP satellite. By integrating data from MODIS and VIIRS instruments, his team has refined soil moisture resolution from 9 km to as fine as 400 meters—which is critical for applications in agriculture, weather forecasting, and climate science. Looking ahead, he emphasizes the urgent need for efficient water use in agriculture, which consumes 70 per cent of global freshwater. He advocates for innovation and smarter water management, especially in the face of population growth and climate extremes. His advice to young professionals? Dive into water science—it’s at the heart of global challenges like droughts, floods, and wildfires. And when asked what drives innovation, his answer is simple: motivated young minds.

Mastawesha Misganaw Engdaw is a research scientist with an academic background including geo-information science and earth observation, water resources management, hydrology, and climate change. His research activities include assessing the past, present, and future changes in the climate system, as well as its impacts on multiple sustainable development goals. He is particularly interested in assessing impacts of climate change on hydrological extremes and water resources management. Mastawesha is currently working on climate risk assessment and attribution of compound hydrological extreme events.

Mastawesha Misganaw Engdaw is a research scientist with an academic background including geo-information science and earth observation, water resources management, hydrology, and climate change. His research activities include assessing the past, present, and future changes in the climate system, as well as its impacts on multiple sustainable development goals. He is particularly interested in assessing impacts of climate change on hydrological extremes and water resources management. Mastawesha is currently working on climate risk assessment and attribution of compound hydrological extreme events.