Volume Preface
A watershed depicts a geographic boundary where the precipitation falling within
the bounded land area flows to streams, rivers, and lakes or seeps into the subsurface water system situated within the watershed. Thus, in a watershed, a strong
dynamic interaction exists between land and natural water systems, which can
significantly impact water availability and water quality for various human uses
and ecosystem health. Water resource managers and researchers have deployed the
watershed concept in water assessment studies since the 1960s. However, recent
advances in geospatial analysis, satellite imagery, electronics, computer software,
and wireless and Internet technologies have facilitated a revolutionary change from
limited (spatially and temporally) manual and discrete methods of assessment to
real-time and broad-spatial-coverage-capable methods of assessment. Research and
development in these new technologies provide tremendous and exciting opportunities for watershed assessment, sustainable management of land and water
resources, and ecosystem preservation around the world.
This volume presents a discussion of concepts, methods, and case studies of
innovative and evolving technologies in the arena of watershed assessment. Themes
discussed in this volume include (1) development and applications of geospatial,
satellite imagery, and remote sensing technologies for land monitoring, (2) development and applications of satellite imagery for monitoring inland water quality,
(3) development and applications of water sensor technologies for real-time monitoring of water quantity and water quality, and (4) advances in biological monitoring and microbial source tracking (MST) technologies.
This volume contains ten chapters. The chapter “Land Use/Land Cover Monitoring and Geospatial Technologies: An Overview” discusses remote sensing, its
technological evolution, and remote sensing applications in land use and land cover
mapping and monitoring. The chapter “Using Remote Sensing to Map and Monitor
Water Resources in Arid and Semiarid Regions” provides an overview of satellite
and airborne remote sensing technologies and applications to management of water
resources and drought monitoring in arid and semiarid regions. The chapter “Imaging Spectrometry of Inland Water Quality in Italy Using MIVIS: An Overview”
xiii
A watershed depicts a geographic boundary where the precipitation falling within
the bounded land area flows to streams, rivers, and lakes or seeps into the subsurface water system situated within the watershed. Thus, in a watershed, a strong
dynamic interaction exists between land and natural water systems, which can
significantly impact water availability and water quality for various human uses
and ecosystem health. Water resource managers and researchers have deployed the
watershed concept in water assessment studies since the 1960s. However, recent
advances in geospatial analysis, satellite imagery, electronics, computer software,
and wireless and Internet technologies have facilitated a revolutionary change from
limited (spatially and temporally) manual and discrete methods of assessment to
real-time and broad-spatial-coverage-capable methods of assessment. Research and
development in these new technologies provide tremendous and exciting opportunities for watershed assessment, sustainable management of land and water
resources, and ecosystem preservation around the world.
This volume presents a discussion of concepts, methods, and case studies of
innovative and evolving technologies in the arena of watershed assessment. Themes
discussed in this volume include (1) development and applications of geospatial,
satellite imagery, and remote sensing technologies for land monitoring, (2) development and applications of satellite imagery for monitoring inland water quality,
(3) development and applications of water sensor technologies for real-time monitoring of water quantity and water quality, and (4) advances in biological monitoring and microbial source tracking (MST) technologies.
This volume contains ten chapters. The chapter “Land Use/Land Cover Monitoring and Geospatial Technologies: An Overview” discusses remote sensing, its
technological evolution, and remote sensing applications in land use and land cover
mapping and monitoring. The chapter “Using Remote Sensing to Map and Monitor
Water Resources in Arid and Semiarid Regions” provides an overview of satellite
and airborne remote sensing technologies and applications to management of water
resources and drought monitoring in arid and semiarid regions. The chapter “Imaging Spectrometry of Inland Water Quality in Italy Using MIVIS: An Overview”
xiii