NASA's SWOT Satellite Capable of Monitoring Most Global Irrigation Canals, Study Finds

A new study from the University of Washington indicates that a NASA satellite, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, can effectively monitor water levels in over 85% of the world's irrigation canals. This discovery, published in Geophysical Research Letters, suggests a powerful new tool for farmers and water managers to manage resources, prepare for droughts, and enhance food security, despite the satellite not being originally designed for such small waterways.