15th AOGEO symposium

Mainstreaming Water Resilience through Earth Observation
Neeta Pokhrel
Chief of Water Sector Group
Asian Development BankINTERNAL. This information is accessible to ADB Management and staff. It may be shared outside ADB with appropriate permission.

Asia Pacific Water Sector Challenges
Climate change is being primarily felt
through water through intensificationof the water cycle. The region accounts
for 40% of disasters triggered by natural
hazards and 84% of the people theyaffectWetlands destruction is driving
biodiversity loss. More than 30% of
the global biodiversity has been lost
because of the degradation of freshwater ecosystems.

Food security depends on water
security. Agriculture consumes anaverage of 70% of freshwater. Irrigationis the primary driver of groundwaterpollution. Growing demand for food will
increase pressure on water resources.

Water quality is deteriorating. 80%of urban wastewater is discharged
untreated. Saline intrusion andarsenic are also growing threats togroundwater quality.

Inadequate access to basic water supply
and sanitation services. 500 million
people without access to basic watersupplies, 1.14 billion people without
access to sanitation.
INTERNAL. This information is accessible to ADB Management and staff. It may be shared outside ADB with appropriate permission.

Role of Earth Observation (EO) to Mainstream Resilience• More and higher accuracy EO data is becoming available• EO data have global coverage and are collected at aregular time frequency• Data available at relatively low-cost• Single datasets are consistent over the entire globe
This enables:Ø Data-informed, efficient, and rapid decision making
Ø Design projects/interventions in different settings incl.
remote rural areas or cross boundaries
Ø Achieving regulatory compliance at low-costØ Better targeting of investments
Ø Improving the performance of day-to-day operations
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NASA, DLR (“Grace” mission)

Earth Observation for Improving Water Security and Resilience
Challenges and Opportunities for Earth Observation in Water Sector
Disaster risk management

Disasters impact, post-disaster recovery, coastal
erosion management, weather and flood
forecasting, cyclone detection and tracking

Areas inundated with water

Flood frequency flood maps
Identification of water bodies
Intertidal zone
Reservoir levels
Parametric insurance
Emergency assistance

Fluctuation in groundwater levels

Groundwater abstraction/recharge
Groundwater flooding, leak detection

Crop productivity and water efficiency

NDVI, NDWI, evaporation, soil moisture, vegetation
cover and planning for NbS
Water accounting and productivity

Pollution of water bodies

Pollutant plumes

Dam, dikes deformation

Emergency response

Snow and glacial melting

Snow melting detection, glacial protection models

Geodata

Topography and bathymetry

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Example: Satellite and Earth Observation Solutions to Water
Challenges in India
85% of water in India’s rural areas comes from groundwater
Risks:• Groundwater depletion and contamination from arsenic and fluoride• Flooding and droughts• Climate change likely to increasingly affect the already critical situation

Solutions:• Potential water storage and natural reservoirs identified through EO
where water can be directed during the monsoon season (NbSsolution)• Flood reduction during the monsoon as well as water supply during dry
season• Water pollution reduction

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Harnessing Digitalization and Space Technology for Water Security
and Resilience in Asia and the PacificSupporting local water managers indeveloping and implementing digitalization
solutions to foster resilience and improvedwater security
Examples of ADB’s recent initiatives:• Cluster Technical Assistance on
Mainstreaming Water Resilience in Asiaand the Pacific,• Supporting emerging solution providers
and e-Marketplaces,• Partnerships with private and publicentities, such as JAXA and ESA.

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The Asia and the Pacific Water Resilience Hub
https://hub4r.adb.org/
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Resilience and Adaptive Capacity ® Inclusiveness and Gender Equality ® Environmental Sustainability and Circular Economy® Governance and Finance ® Innovation and Technology

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Neeta Pokhrel, Chief of Water Sector Group,
Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department
Asian Development Bank
npokhrel@adb.org

INTERNAL. This information is accessible to ADB Management and staff. It may be shared outside ADB with appropriate permission.