4.1 Aims and quantifiable results expected
All cooperating end users apply environmental simulation models,
which typically require intensive and costly parameterization when
dealing with river catchments. The end users share common EO
requirements related to the hydrological, erosion and solute transport
dynamics. Corresponding specific EO objectives aiming, at fulfilling
the specific modelling data requirements, will be carried out through
six Working Packages (Figure 2). They will produce the deliverables
and milestones of ARSGISIP and have been defined with particular
reference to the operational needs of the respective end users of the
EREC. The quantifiable results expected from these six WPs can
briefly listed as follows:
(i) Generation of individual remote sensing and GIS databases
including time series of test sites for the end user’s operational
use for catchment management.
(ii) Identification of the key parameters and variables of the end
users models to be parameterized and relating them to
physiographic catchment properties relevant to the end user's
models.
(iii) Classification of the identified physiographic properties by
means of combined remote sensing techniques using sensors
adapted to the scale of the end user’s mesoscale test catchments.
(iv) Delineation of the spatial distribution of the classified areas as
thematic data coverages within a GIS for the definition of
Response Units (RUs) as model entities for the end user’s
hydrological, erosion and solute transport models.
(v) Parameterization of model parameters and variables by
quantifying the delineated physiographic catchment properties
and RUs.
(vi) Validation of the parameterization by cost-benefit analyses after
verification by means of both field data and model simulation
runs which are carried out by end users in close cooperation
with respective research partners.
4.2 Success criteria
The overall success criteria of the project is the validation of the
improvements of model parameterizations, which are closely linked
with these six WPs. The simulation runs, carried out by the
respective end users of the EREC using these improved
parameterizations will deliver adequate informations to construct
“what-if?” scenarios for water resources and catchment management.
However, the success of the ARSGISIP project to obtain improved
parameterizations for the end users physically based simulation
models can also be measured as described in the following
subsections. However, ARSGISIP is considered to be successful if
the following success criteria are met by the EREC:
> The end users requirements in terms of model parameterization
and model validation are fulfilled.
» The end users are gaining additional and valuable catchment
informations (land use, antecedent soil moisture, DEM, etc.)
derived from EO data, which could not be obtained by other
means before.
> The end users are prepared to use EO data for their future
catchment management.
4.2.1 Synergetic effect: The synergetic effect generated within the
project, which is based on the IEC, RETs and EREC structure is
another measure for the projects success. By collaborating within the
EREC, all specialized professional expertise within the RETS -
comprising remote sensing, hydrological systems analyses, erosion
dynamics and hydrological, erosion and solute transport modelling -
will become available to all other RETs of the project and will
generate the synergetic effect necessary to carry out the common
WPs.
The synergetic approach applied within the project is not restricted
to make use of remote sensing as a "stand alone" technique but as a
powerful analysing toolset complementary and integrated to those
already existing in water resources management and modelling.
Therefore, the benefit and cost-effectiveness of this toolset can be
demonstrated and evaluated within the context of the improvements
achieved by adapting a modified water resources and catchment
management system by the end users of the EREC.
4.2.2 Methodological pool: The deliverables of the project will
generate a methodological pool of applied, verified and validated
remote sensing techniques for improving the parameterization of
prognostic models of different types used by the end users from the
different climatic regions of the EREC. As these tools will be
disseminated, the synergetic effect of the project as well as the
deliverables produced for the IEC will be beneficial to all researchers
and enterprises carrying out related work within the EC.
4.2.3 Innovative aspects: As is shown in Figure 2, the innovative
potential of ARSGISIP is derived from the synergetic effect gained
by assembling the required scientific expertise within the EREC
carrying out the project research in major European climatic regions.
The expertise assembled in this consortium is related to the various
components of the IEC and is addressing its varying physiographic
catchment heterogeneity. Following this structure, ARSGISIP has
the following innovative aspects which also will be used to evaluate
the success of the project:
(i) to widen the use of EO data towards the specific application of
hydrological, solute and erosion transport models, which have
become an essential tool for land- and water managers
throughout Europe:
» integrate data from different sources into spatial and
temporal informations with high accuracy,
» reduce the redundancies in data acquisition and improve the
information quality,
> close the feedback loop for an adaptive regional
development which is necessary for a sustainable
development under heavy natural constraints,
> improve the information quality about local imbalances in’
order to find qualified solutions for a recovery of the
balance,
> timely update information on land cover changes will reduce
the time lags between real land use changes and the
implementation of flood prevention measures,
> timely identify vegetation cover changes and distribution of
fertilizer application with support of remote sensing in order
to improve of the water management efficiency.
(ii) to integrate and combine remote sensing information with
existing GIS databases to establish an operational toolset for
water resources management on a catchment basis.
(iii) to verify and validate the use of EO data for the specific use for
such models on a European scale, covering all major climatic
regions and to provide a sound cost-benefit analysis based on
the operational application from end user organizations dealing
with various aspects of environmental management within
Europe.
From these discussions it is evident, that a continuous and strong
relationship between the researcher group and the end user, as
designed in the EREC structure must be established. It will guarantee
that the methodological developments (i) will be in line with the end
users demand, and (ii) that EO will be implemented as a standard
procedure in the end users water resources and catchment
management.
118 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXII, Part 7, Budapest, 1998
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