Flood Detection using Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar in semiarid areas in New Mexico

Date of Images: Post-Event: Jun 26, 2025 at 00:59 UTC (about 6:59PM MT) Pre-Event: Jun 20, 2025 Date of Next Image: July 2, 2025 Summary: We developed a rapid-response workflow to map flooded areas during this emergency event using multi-temporal Sentinel-1 SAR data. Sentinel-1’s SAR backscatter characteristics are particularly effective for detecting surface water: water surfaces typically exhibit low backscatter, whereas non-water areas show higher backscatter. Leveraging this physical property, we distinguished between water and non-water surfaces from both pre- and post-flood observations. To highlight flood-induced surface changes, we computed the differenced co-polarized VV backscatter (dVV = VV_post – VV_pre). This change detection technique enhances the visibility of newly inundated areas. We then applied a simple threshold to the dVV image to separate flooded from non-flooded areas. Suggested Use: The final output is a binary raster product, where pixels with a value of 1 represent flooded areas (dark blue color). Satellite/Sensor: Sentinel-1 /Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Resolution: 10 meters Credits: Dr. Khuong H. Tran ([e-mail]) Esri REST Endpoint: See URL section on right side of page WMS Endpoint: https://maps.disasters.nasa.gov/ags03/services/NM_FIre_202506/sentinel1_flood/MapServer/WMSServer Data Download: https://maps.disasters.nasa.gov/download/gis_products/event_specific/2025/newmexico_wildfires_202506/sentinel1_flood/