Articles | Volume 27, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2463-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2463-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
06 Jul 2023
Research article |
| 06 Jul 2023
| 06 Jul 2023
The precision of satellite-based net irrigation quantification in the Indus and Ganges basins
Department of Hydrology, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
Rasmus Fensholt
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
Simon Stisen
Department of Hydrology, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
Julian Koch
Department of Hydrology, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
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Cited
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Development of Gridded Root-Zone Soil Moisture Product for India, 1981–2024 D. Chuphal et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-06940-x
- Integrating hydrological simulation and paddy yield prediction using SWAT in the Bharathapuzha River basin of South India D. Karunanidhi et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45201-0
- Large variability in satellite-based estimates of irrigation water use A. Amali et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/3033-4942/ae4feb
- The Temporal-Stability-Based Irrigation MAPping (TSIMAP) Method: A Virtuous Trade-Off between Accuracy, Flexibility, and Facility for End-Users J. Dari et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16050644
- Evaluating Uncertainties in an SM-Based Inversion Algorithm for Irrigation Estimation in a Subtropical Humid Climate L. Almendra-Martín et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16172445
- Evaluating the Performance of Irrigation Using Remote Sensing Data and the Budyko Hypothesis: A Case Study in Northwest China D. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17061085
- The development of an operational system for estimating irrigation water use reveals socio-political dynamics in Ukraine J. Dari et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2651-2024
- Satellite remote sensing for hydrological intelligence and climate-resilient water governance in the Gulf Cooperation Council P. Agyemang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2026.101256
- Assessing the suitability of global evapotranspiration products over irrigated areas P. Laluet et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1779-2026
- An inter-comparison of approaches and frameworks to quantify irrigation from satellite data S. Kragh et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-441-2024
- Synthesizing regional irrigation data using machine learning – Towards global upscaling via metamodeling S. Kragh et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109404
- A novel framework for pixel-wise estimation of irrigation water use by integrating remote sensing and reanalysis data L. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2025.110077
- Estimating multi-scale irrigation amounts using multi-resolution soil moisture data: A data-driven approach using PrISM G. Paolini et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108594
- Fine-scale assessment of blue-water dependence via crop rotation systems in South Asia under a changing climate A. Ismaeel et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adc7cc
- Disentangling Climatic and Anthropogenic Drivers of Vegetation Dynamics in the Upper Indus Basin Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing K. Ahmad et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18121451
- Integrating biophysical models and remote sensing to evaluate irrigation practices in four global hubs N. Galli et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110284
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Development of Gridded Root-Zone Soil Moisture Product for India, 1981–2024 D. Chuphal et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-06940-x
- Integrating hydrological simulation and paddy yield prediction using SWAT in the Bharathapuzha River basin of South India D. Karunanidhi et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45201-0
- Large variability in satellite-based estimates of irrigation water use A. Amali et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/3033-4942/ae4feb
- The Temporal-Stability-Based Irrigation MAPping (TSIMAP) Method: A Virtuous Trade-Off between Accuracy, Flexibility, and Facility for End-Users J. Dari et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16050644
- Evaluating Uncertainties in an SM-Based Inversion Algorithm for Irrigation Estimation in a Subtropical Humid Climate L. Almendra-Martín et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16172445
- Evaluating the Performance of Irrigation Using Remote Sensing Data and the Budyko Hypothesis: A Case Study in Northwest China D. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17061085
- The development of an operational system for estimating irrigation water use reveals socio-political dynamics in Ukraine J. Dari et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2651-2024
- Satellite remote sensing for hydrological intelligence and climate-resilient water governance in the Gulf Cooperation Council P. Agyemang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2026.101256
- Assessing the suitability of global evapotranspiration products over irrigated areas P. Laluet et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1779-2026
- An inter-comparison of approaches and frameworks to quantify irrigation from satellite data S. Kragh et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-441-2024
- Synthesizing regional irrigation data using machine learning – Towards global upscaling via metamodeling S. Kragh et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109404
- A novel framework for pixel-wise estimation of irrigation water use by integrating remote sensing and reanalysis data L. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2025.110077
- Estimating multi-scale irrigation amounts using multi-resolution soil moisture data: A data-driven approach using PrISM G. Paolini et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108594
- Fine-scale assessment of blue-water dependence via crop rotation systems in South Asia under a changing climate A. Ismaeel et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adc7cc
- Disentangling Climatic and Anthropogenic Drivers of Vegetation Dynamics in the Upper Indus Basin Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing K. Ahmad et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18121451
- Integrating biophysical models and remote sensing to evaluate irrigation practices in four global hubs N. Galli et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110284
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 03 Jul 2026
Short summary
This study investigates the precision of irrigation estimates from a global hotspot of unsustainable irrigation practice, the Indus and Ganges basins. We show that irrigation water use can be estimated with high precision by comparing satellite and rainfed hydrological model estimates of evapotranspiration. We believe that our work can support sustainable water resource management, as it addresses the uncertainty of a key component of the water balance that remains challenging to quantify.
This study investigates the precision of irrigation estimates from a global hotspot of...
