Florinsky, Igor 
SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL RIVER BASINS FOR ALL 
W.G.M. Bastiaanssen*/** and S.A. Prathapar** 
* International Water Management Institute (IWMI), P.O. Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 
W.Bastiaanssen@cgiar.org 
** International Institute for Aerspace Survey and Earth Sciences, P.O. Box 6, 7500 AA, 
Enschede, The Netherlands, Bastiaanssen@itc.nl 
*'** International Water Management Institute (IWMI), 12 km Multan Rd, Lahore, Pakistan, 
S.Prathapar@cgiar.org 
Special Session II 
KEYWORDS: International river basin, conflict prevention, water scarcity, water accounts, 
database building 
Abstract 
A river basin is the prime land unit for collection and depletion of water, ultimately leading to rich 
and attractive environments to live in, having food security, industrial production and socio-economic 
development. Water flows across and underneath, international boundaries and sustains entire agro- 
ecosystems, whose boundaries do not conform to the political lines we human have drawn on maps. 
Understanding of the resources management may lead to development and revision of water treaties 
between states, and prevent potential conflicts and resolve disagreements. Provision of objective 
information to facilitate negotiations between various fellow states requires a tool, which can monitor 
spatial and temporal changes in water demand and water use over vast rural areas. This requirement 
can be met with low resolution satellites having daily overpasses. Some examples of technically 
matured possibilities are given. It is concluded that these opportunities are disregarded and not 
applied, most probably because it requires an interdisciplinary approach between remote sensing 
specialists and water resources managers. Remote sensing information, being available to all parties 
can help creating consensus on the basin conditions — from upstream to the downstream end. It is 
believed that subjective information and database building is a stimulus for international collaboration 
between fellow states sharing an international river basin. 
1 Introduction 
Every year, the world's population increases by 80-85 million inhabitants at a rate of 1.5 %. 
In the 20™ century the world population tripled — while water use multiplied sixfold. According to the 
medium projection of the United Nations, the world population will reach eight billion by 2025. Some 
developing countries have a projected annual population growth rate of 3 % - their population will 
double in less than 25 years ! Besides more mouths to feed, changing tastes and improving diets 
increase the food and water demands. As fresh water resources are limited, the question arises of 
whether there is sufficient water per capita available in the 21* century ? By comparing water demand 
for food, the environment, industries and domestic use with the water supply available from 
precipitation, snowmelt and aquifers, it is predicted that more than 20 developing countries will 
experience chronic and physical water shortage in 2025 (Anonymous, 2000a). There is physical 
shortage, but also due to poor management. Or in the words of the World Water Council: *Todays 
water crisis is not about having too little water to satisfy our needs. It is a crisis of managing water so 
badly that billions of people and the environment suffer badly" (Cosgrove and Rijsberman, 2000). 
  
  
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000. 439