TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantification of an overlooked water resource in the tropical rainfed lowlands using RapidEye satellite data
T2 - A case of farm ponds and the potential gross value for smallholder production in southern Laos
AU - Vote, Camilla
AU - Eberbach, Philip
AU - Inthavong, Thavone
AU - Lampayan, Rubenito M.
AU - Vongthilard, Somsamay
AU - Wade, Len J.
N1 - Includes bibliographical references
PY - 2019/2/1
Y1 - 2019/2/1
N2 - In southern Laos, water stored in farm ponds is largely underutilised as it is perceived to be unfit for human consumption; subsequently, groundwater is the preferred source for domestic and agricultural consumption. For the first time, this paper presents the results of a study designed to quantify the total pond water volume within the landscape via remote-sensing methods in two districts in Champasak province that could be used to improve rural household cash income through the expansion of market-oriented dry season crop production. Water bodies were delineated via simple classification of RapidEye data using the Normalised Difference Water Index and a sub-classification was performed to distinguish between ponds and the streamflow network. Final estimates of total pond volume in Sukhuma and Phonthong districts were ∼2.30 × 106 m3 and 3.55 × 106 m3, respectively; and the average pond volume across both districts was ∼1987 m3. Sensitivity analysis of the potential gross value of farm ponds for irrigation of dry season, vegetable production typical of market-oriented smallholder activities in the area indicated that substantial gross economic gains could be made from better use and management of these resources.
AB - In southern Laos, water stored in farm ponds is largely underutilised as it is perceived to be unfit for human consumption; subsequently, groundwater is the preferred source for domestic and agricultural consumption. For the first time, this paper presents the results of a study designed to quantify the total pond water volume within the landscape via remote-sensing methods in two districts in Champasak province that could be used to improve rural household cash income through the expansion of market-oriented dry season crop production. Water bodies were delineated via simple classification of RapidEye data using the Normalised Difference Water Index and a sub-classification was performed to distinguish between ponds and the streamflow network. Final estimates of total pond volume in Sukhuma and Phonthong districts were ∼2.30 × 106 m3 and 3.55 × 106 m3, respectively; and the average pond volume across both districts was ∼1987 m3. Sensitivity analysis of the potential gross value of farm ponds for irrigation of dry season, vegetable production typical of market-oriented smallholder activities in the area indicated that substantial gross economic gains could be made from better use and management of these resources.
KW - Farm ponds
KW - Laos
KW - NDWI
KW - RapidEye
KW - Smallholder vegetable production
KW - Water resources development
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052931840&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85052931840&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.agwat.2018.08.016
DO - 10.1016/j.agwat.2018.08.016
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85052931840
SN - 0378-3774
VL - 212
SP - 111
EP - 118
JO - Agricultural Water Management
JF - Agricultural Water Management
ER -
