GIS and Remote Sensing for Water Resources Training Course

Participants can prepare spatial datasets suitable for reliable water-resources analysis.

• Vector, raster and tabular data structures used in water-resource projects
• Coordinate reference systems selected for basin-scale distance, area and elevation calculations
• Georeferencing scanned maps using ground-control points and residual-error checks
• Geodatabases structured with feature classes, domains, identifiers and relationships
• Attribute tables cleaned using field definitions, null checks and controlled values
• Metadata records prepared using ISO 19115 elements and source documentation

Participants can source, assess and document geospatial datasets for water studies.

• Satellite imagery selected by cloud cover, revisit interval and target feature
• Digital elevation models compared for resolution, voids and vertical accuracy
• Rainfall products assessed against gauge records, timing and spatial coverage
• Hydrometric station data checked for gaps, outliers and datum inconsistencies
• Field observations designed for location accuracy, attribute completeness and photo evidence
• Data-quality matrices documenting lineage, scale, currency, uncertainty and access restrictions

Participants can prepare satellite imagery and raster data for water-resources interpretation.

• Radiometric correction concepts distinguished from atmospheric and terrain correction procedures
• Cloud, cloud-shadow and cirrus masks applied before optical-image analysis
• Image mosaics created using overlap checks, acquisition dates and consistent projections
• Raster clipping, resampling and alignment controlled for multi-source overlay analysis
• Band combinations selected for water bodies, vegetation stress and built surfaces
• Histogram stretches and contrast enhancement used for visual image interpretation

Participants can derive catchments, drainage networks and terrain variables from elevation data.

• Sink filling applied before flow-direction and flow-accumulation calculations
• D8 flow-direction grids generated from hydrologically conditioned elevation models
• Stream networks extracted using threshold areas and mapped-channel comparison
• Pour points positioned correctly before upstream watershed delineation
• Slope, aspect and curvature derived for runoff and erosion screening
• Hypsometric summaries and elevation zones prepared for catchment characterisation

Participants can map land cover and interpret catchment conditions affecting water resources.

• Training samples designed from reference imagery, field points and class definitions
• Supervised classification performed using random forest and spectral predictor bands
• Unsupervised clustering interpreted before assigning meaningful land-cover classes
• Confusion matrices calculated from validation samples, producer accuracy and user accuracy
• Land-cover change detected through post-classification comparison and transition matrices
• Riparian vegetation, bare soil and impervious surfaces mapped for catchment screening

Participants can map surface-water extent and identify seasonal or long-term changes.

• Normalized Difference Water Index calculated from green and near-infrared bands
• Modified NDWI applied where built surfaces confuse conventional water detection
• Water masks refined using thresholds, connected components and manual quality checks
• Seasonal water extents compared using consistent acquisition windows and thresholds
• Reservoir area-storage relationships developed from shoreline extent and elevation data
• Permanent and seasonal water classes mapped from multi-date image observations

Participants can prepare gridded rainfall surfaces and assess their usefulness for water analysis.

• Gauge rainfall records standardised by units, dates, station identifiers and coordinates
• Thiessen polygons used to estimate areal rainfall from uneven station networks
• Inverse distance weighting compared with ordinary kriging for rainfall interpolation
• Satellite rainfall estimates bias-corrected using gauge observations and monthly factors
• Rainfall anomalies calculated against baseline means, percentiles and standard deviations
• Interpolation errors examined through cross-validation residuals and station-density mapping

Participants can interpret evapotranspiration products for irrigation and water-balance decisions.

• Reference evapotranspiration distinguished from actual evapotranspiration and crop evapotranspiration
• FAO-56 crop coefficients applied with growth stages and reference conditions
• Satellite evapotranspiration products assessed against crop calendars and irrigation schedules
• NDVI time series interpreted for crop development, stress and fallow land
• Irrigation command areas segmented by crop condition and water-use patterns
• Field water-balance terms assembled from rainfall, evapotranspiration, runoff and storage

Participants can produce a transparent GIS screening model for groundwater potential and recharge.

• Groundwater occurrence related to geology, fractures, slope, drainage and land cover
• Lineaments extracted from imagery and elevation derivatives using visual interpretation
• Recharge zones screened using soil permeability, slope, rainfall and vegetation criteria
• Weighted overlay models constructed with documented scores and factor weights
• Analytic Hierarchy Process pairwise comparisons used to test weighting consistency
• Borehole yields and water-level records used to review screening results

Participants can map flood extent and prepare hazard information for response and planning.

• Synthetic aperture radar selected for flood mapping under cloud-covered conditions
• Backscatter differences interpreted between open water, vegetation and urban surfaces
• Pre-event and post-event imagery compared for rapid flood-extent extraction
• Flood masks cleaned using terrain constraints, permanent-water layers and visual checks
• Depth proxies developed from inundation extent, elevation and surveyed water marks
• Exposure overlays identify affected settlements, roads, facilities and agricultural land

Participants can combine climate and vegetation indicators to assess drought conditions.

• Standardized Precipitation Index calculated across relevant accumulation periods
• Vegetation Condition Index derived from long-term NDVI minimum and maximum values
• Rainfall and vegetation anomalies compared to separate delayed seasonal responses
• Drought severity classes defined using thresholds, baselines and local impact records
• Time-series charts prepared for districts, catchments and irrigation command areas
• Early-warning maps linked to trigger levels, verification steps and response actions

Participants can map source-water risks and prioritise protection measures using spatial criteria.

• Water-quality sampling points linked with catchment land-use and discharge sources
• Sanitary inspection risks mapped around springs, boreholes and surface-water intakes
• Buffer analysis applied to contamination sources, drainage paths and protection zones
• Turbidity proxies interpreted cautiously from reflectance bands and field samples
• Source protection zones delineated using travel-time assumptions and hydrogeological evidence
• Risk scores combined for prioritising inspections, mitigation and monitoring locations

Participants can analyse water-service coverage, access constraints and spatial inequities.

• Water-point inventories cleaned for functionality, yield, management and water-quality status
• Service areas estimated using travel-time surfaces, roads, terrain and barriers
• Population grids combined with water-point locations to estimate service coverage
• Functionality patterns analysed by settlement type, season and management arrangement
• Accessibility maps identify underserved communities and priority rehabilitation areas
• Disaggregated indicators prepared by administrative area, displacement status and settlement class

Participants can build transparent suitability models for water-resources infrastructure decisions.

• Decision criteria defined from engineering requirements, environmental constraints and stakeholder priorities
• Constraint layers separated from weighted preference factors before overlay modelling
• Suitability scores standardised using reclassification rules and documented threshold values
• Weighted linear combination applied to compare potential intervention locations
• Sensitivity analysis tests how weight changes affect ranked candidate sites
• Exclusion zones mapped for protected areas, hazards, settlements and contamination sources

Participants can validate geospatial outputs and communicate limitations responsibly.

• Validation plans specify reference data, sample design, acceptance criteria and responsibilities
• Positional accuracy checked against surveyed points, imagery and documented tolerances
• Classification accuracy reported with confusion matrices, confidence intervals and class errors
• Hydrological outputs compared with observed flows, levels and independently derived estimates
• Uncertainty sources documented across sensors, models, field data and analyst decisions
• Quality-assurance checklists applied before publishing maps, datasets and technical findings

Participants can produce clear maps and technical messages for water-sector decisions.

• Map purpose, audience and decision question defined before layout design
• Scale, projection, legend and symbology selected for accurate interpretation
• Classification breaks chosen using policy thresholds, quantiles and natural breaks
• Map layouts include source notes, dates, uncertainty statements and coordinate grids
• Dashboards distinguish operational indicators from exploratory analysis and contextual layers
• Recommendations connect mapped findings with actions, budgets, timelines and responsible units

Participants can establish repeatable GIS workflows and controls for shared water datasets.

• Workflow diagrams document inputs, processing steps, outputs and quality-control gates
• File naming conventions support version control, retrieval and audit trails
• Processing parameters recorded for raster calculations, classifications and model runs
• Data-sharing protocols address licensing, privacy, security and access permissions
• Standard operating procedures assign update cycles, custodians and approval responsibilities
• Automation opportunities identified for recurring downloads, indicators and map production

Participants can build, review and present a complete geospatial water-resources assessment for a defined management decision.

• Assessment scope defines decision question, area, users, deadlines and evidence requirements
• Source datasets assembled with metadata, quality checks and documented processing choices
• Spatial analyses combine watershed, rainfall, imagery and infrastructure evidence
• Validation findings and uncertainty statements tested through structured peer review
• Decision maps, technical annexes and prioritised recommendations prepared for management use
• Implementation plan specifies monitoring indicators, update routines, owners and resources