Water level fluctuations derived from ENVISAT Radar Altimeter (RA-2) and in-situ measurements in a subtropical waterbody: Lake Izabal (Guatemala)

摘要: Abstract The use of remote sensing techniques in monitoring inland waters has become a powerful tool, considering the amount ungauged waterbodies all over world. water mass balance is an essential subject to take into account management activities. level changes lake surface are indicator basin since they reflect storage variations. Space borne altimeters have been successfully used last decade measure lakes, rivers and wetland stages. This study presents first analysis Lake Izabal — biggest Guatemala (Central America) fluctuations using altimetry data in-situ measurements. Water variations were obtained from Envisat Radar Altimeter (RA-2) Geophysical Data Records coupled with period included three complete years (2004 2006). rainfall temperature records catchment analyzed that feeding lake, either by tributaries and/or groundwater, driven climatic conditions lake's catchment. results show good agreement between both, altimeter datasets (correlation coefficient: 0.83 rms error: 0.09 m). seasonal signal forced rainy dry climate seasons region. An abrupt rise was found July 2006 which correlated abnormal precipitations June. We connection higher/lower extreme values anomalies produced regional El Nino Southern Oscillation Tropical North Atlantic anomaly.