Defense Presentation Title: Quantifying on-farm reservoir dynamics: an Earth observation and hydrological modeling approach

Advisor: Dr. Mirela G. Tulbure, Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources

Abstract: On-farm reservoirs (OFRs) are artificial water bodies that enable farmers to store water during the rainy season to support irrigation activities during the crop growing season. Although OFRs have a critical role in irrigated food production, these water bodies impact the hydrology of the watersheds where they occur by decreasing peak flow and overall streamflow. Nonetheless, OFRs are poorly monitored or not monitored in many countries, due to their dynamic nature, occurrence in high numbers (i.e., hundreds), and location mostly on private properties. Aiming to improve OFRs monitoring, and to quantify their impact on surface water availability, this dissertation explores various remote sensing technologies, including novel approaches and imagery datasets, in combination with hydrological modeling to further understand OFRs occurrence and surface area changes.