Blue Water Intelligence (BWI) plays a vital role in global climate monitoring by providing high-frequency, remote-sensing-based data on key hydrological Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) such as river discharge, water levels, and soil moisture. In regions where ground observations are sparse, BWI delivers reliable, scalable insights to support climate adaptation, water resource management, and SDG reporting. Learn how BWI helps bridge the data gap for climate-resilient decision-making.
As the impacts of climate change intensify around the world, access to reliable, high-resolution environmental data is more essential than ever. At Blue Water Intelligence (BWI), we are proud to contribute to this effort by generating and delivering key datasets that directly support several Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)—a framework developed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) to guide the monitoring of Earth’s climate.
ECVs are a set of physical, chemical, and biological variables that are critical for understanding the climate system. They are used by meteorological agencies, researchers, development organizations, and policymakers to monitor trends, assess risks, and design adaptation strategies.
Out of the 54 ECVs identified by GCOS, several are hydrology-related, including:
River discharge
Water level
Soil moisture
Evapotranspiration
Lakes and reservoirs
Groundwater
These hydrological ECVs are among the least observed globally, especially in regions where in-situ measurement networks are sparse or declining.
At BWI, our mission is to improve water intelligence across river basins globally, using remote sensing, hydrological modeling, and AI. Our platform provides continuous, high-frequency data on river discharge, water level, and surface water dynamics—all of which feed into multiple hydrological ECVs.
Here’s how we contribute:
We generate forecasts of river discharge at thousands of virtual stations worldwide, including in data-scarce and transboundary regions. These forecasts are based on satellite-derived precipitation and snowmelt data, land surface modeling, and calibrated with in-situ and remote datasets. The results are updated daily, enabling near real-time monitoring and early warning systems.
Our algorithms reconstruct water level time series at key locations across river networks using a combination of satellite altimetry, radar imagery, and machine learning. This data supports lake, reservoir, and riverine ECV indicators and is especially valuable in areas without gauge coverage.
Through integration with global satellite products (e.g., Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, SMOS, SMAP), we contribute to the characterization of soil moisture and the delineation of inundation extent—both of which are relevant for drought monitoring, flood risk assessment, and agricultural planning.
Our approach scales from individual watersheds to national and regional levels. Whether it’s supporting the Nepal Electricity Authority, West African basin authorities, or French water agencies, we provide tailored ECV-relevant data to meet their operational needs.
What sets BWI apart is not just the quality of our data, but its usability. We work closely with clients to integrate our hydrological ECVs into their decision-making processes—whether for:
Infrastructure operations (e.g., hydropower, irrigation, dam safety)
Risk reduction (e.g., flood early warning, seasonal drought planning)
Reporting obligations (e.g., SDG 6.4.2 on water stress)
Climate adaptation projects (e.g., GCF or World Bank-funded programs)
We see our work as part of a larger mission: to make climate-relevant water data accessible, timely, and decision-ready for those who need it most.
In the coming months, we plan to expand our contribution to ECV monitoring by launching a dedicated ECV dashboard for institutional users.
At BWI, we believe that better water data means better climate resilience. By supporting the global ECV framework, we are proud to be part of the solution.
Learn more about our work at www.bwi.earth and contact us to explore how BWI can support your basin or project.
