Radar altimetry of water level variability in the Inner Delta of Niger River

Abstract

This study shows that consistent long term water level time series could be established in heterogeneous medium such as the Delta, using satellite altimetry data. A correction of 89 cm was used to reduce the two satellites at the same altimetry reference system. The seventeen years of water level data is of great value for hydrologic and climate related studies in the Delta in West-Africa, where measurements gauge stations are rare. Our results show that precipitation has a major influence in the flooding process in the Delta. Further analyses are ongoing to better understand the contributions of satellite altimetry data in the study of the hydrology and climate in the Delta.