Started in November 2021 and scheduled to end in February 2024, the 4DMED-Hydrology project aims to produce an advanced, high-resolution terrestrial water cycle reconstruction for the Mediterranean region. Funded by ESA and led by CNR-IRPI, it brings together ten partners from six different European countries.
Like the DTE Hydrology Evolution project, 4DMED-Hydrology represents the natural continuation of the previous DTE Hydrology project, of which it aims to expand the work. In particular, the project intends to use Earth observation data, such as satellite data from ESA’s Copernicus missions, to recreate the Earth’s water cycle in its different components (e.g. precipitation, soil moisture, surface and sub-surface runoff). Results will be validated in four case studies (the Po river basin, the Ebro river basin in Spain, the Hérault river basin in France and the Medjerda river basin in Tunisia), with a particular focus on flood, landslide and drought risk and water resource management.
In the framework of the project, CIMA Research Foundation is also in charge of providing the simulations of the snow amount using the cryospheric model S3M and of determining the groundwater runoff through the use of satellite information produced during the project. In addition, we will try to provide concrete estimates of the annual snowmelt runoff, which plays a key role in the management of water resources, in the Mediterranean area.