Hydrological models are useful for assessing the impact of landscape organization for effective mitigation strategies. However, using these models requires reducing uncertainties in their results, which can be achieved through model–data fusion. We integrate satellite surface moisture images into a water and pesticide transfer model. We compare three methods, studying their performance and exploring various scenarios. This study helps improve decision support in water quality management.

The summer of 2022 was extremely warm and dry in Europe, severely impacting water availability. We calculated water balance anomalies for 88 glacierized catchments in Switzerland, showing that glaciers played a crucial role in alleviating the drought situation by melting at record rates, partially compensating for the lack of rain and snowmelt. By comparing 2022 with past extreme years, we show that while glacier meltwater remains essential during droughts, its contribution is declining.