Remote sensing for irrigated agriculture: examples from research and possible applications

Researchers in various international programs have studied the potential use of remotely sensed data to obtain accurate information on land surface processes and conditions. These studies have demonstrated that quantitative assessment of the soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer processes can lead to a better understanding of the relationships between crop growth and water management. Information on land surface can now be obtained at a wide range of spatial (5–5000 m) and temporal resolutions (0.5–24 days). However, even though considerable progress has been made over the past 20 years in research applications, remotely sensed data remain underutilized by practicing water resource managers. This paper seeks to bridge the gap between researchers and practitioners, first, by illustrating where research tools and techniques have practical applications and, second, by identifying real problems that remote sensing could solve, albeit with additional research and development. As freshwater becomes an increasingly scarce resource, all opportunities to better manage water uses, particularly in irrigated agriculture, must be taken. An important challenge in the field of water resources is to utilize the timely, objective and accurate information provided by remote sensing.