McCarthy, Tim
(2019)
The agricultural impact of the 2015–2016 floods in Ireland as mapped through Sentinel 1 satellite imagery.
Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research, 58 (44).
pp. 1-22.
ISSN 2009-9029
Abstract
The capability of Sentinel 1 C-band (5 cm wavelength) synthetic aperture radio detection and ranging (RADAR) (abbreviated
as SAR) for flood mapping is demonstrated, and this approach is used to map the extent of the extensive floods that
occurred throughout the Republic of Ireland in the winter of 2015–2016. Thirty-three Sentinel 1 images were used to map
the area and duration of floods over a 6-mo period from November 2015 to April 2016. Flood maps for 11 separate dates
charted the development and persistence of floods nationally. The maximum flood extent during this period was estimated
to be ~24,356 ha. The depth of rainfall influenced the magnitude of flood in the preceding 5 d and over more extended
periods to a lesser degree. Reduced photosynthetic activity on farms affected by flooding was observed in Landsat 8
vegetation index difference images compared to the previous spring. The accuracy of the flood map was assessed against
reports of flooding from affected farms, as well as other satellite-derived maps from Copernicus Emergency Management
Service and Sentinel 2. Monte Carlo simulated elevation data (20 m resolution, 2.5 m root mean square error [RMSE]) were
used to estimate the flood’s depth and volume. Although the modelled flood height showed a strong correlation with the
measured river heights, differences of several metres were observed. Future mapping strategies are discussed, which
include high–temporal-resolution soil moisture data, as part of an integrated multisensor approach to flood response over
a range of spatial scales.
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