The contribution of spaceborne SAR and optical data in monitoring flood events: examples in northern and southern France

This paper demonstrates the utility of satellite remote sensing data in water management, and particularly, for flood monitoring and impact analysis. Satellite-derived data can provide timely geographical data from which water body extent in normal and flood regimes can be ascertained. Combined with exogenous and historical data, within a GIS, these can provide information useful for flood prevention decision making. The recent French Alsation, Camargue and Vaison la Romaine floods are taken to illustrate the utility of satellite remote sensing.