Estimation of the river bankfull depth by using a river routing model and a satellite altimetry dataset.

A river bankfull depth, one of the important topographic parameters in a river routing model, was estimated efficiently by using the model and a satellite altimetry dataset. we applied the method to the Amazon river basin, and, by a virtual test, confirmed that river bankfull depth would be improved even if the uncertainty of runoff existed.
In addition, by using a real satellite altimetry dataset, we estimated the river bankfull depth and confirmed this can make the inundation ratio in the basin estimated from the model closer to that from a SAR observation. Compared with the previous river depth dataset, the estimated depth in the study was deeper by over 6m at some downstream points, and the difference will have a large impact on the flood estimation. Next challenges are to validate the method where cross-section data are available and to apply the method on a global scale.