22 Mar 2023

MODIS Optical Global Water Intelligence (MOGWAI) Web Application User Guide

Abstract: Using the sensor from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the MODIS Optical Global WAter Intelligence (MOGWAI) platform is a system created and maintained jointly by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) that monitors the surface area of lakes and reservoirs using remote sensing in near real time. MOGWAI provides estimates of surface area based on an implementation of the Dynamic Surface Water Extent algorithm that was adapted to use 8-day composites of surface reflectance data from the MODIS sensor, which belongs to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Surface area is monitored for all large waterbodies (greater than 10 km²)* south of 60°N contained in the HydroLAKES database. This information provides near real-time insights related to the regional buffering capacity against flood and drought.