Independent satellite monitoring of river dams
River Monitor measures reservoir water area on the Mekong every month from free Sentinel‑1 radar and Sentinel‑2 optical satellites, checked against NASA/CNES SWOT water heights, so people downstream can see what upstream dams are doing when that data isn't shared.
Every number comes with its confidence and method. It's an MVP preview, not for safety or operational decisions.
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Who it's for
NGOs & researchers
Open, documented data with the uncertainty spelled out. Free dashboard and CSV exports.
Journalists
Checkable monthly numbers, charts and before/after satellite images for river stories.
Hydropower & irrigation
An outside view of upstream reservoirs you don't control, for planning.
Insurers
Independent monthly storage and rainfall context, with GIS and API access.
What we measure
- Monthly reservoir water area for the six Lancang–Mekong mainstream dams and Lao tributary dams, from 2017.
- Tonlé Sap flood pulse, downstream river width and catchment rainfall (NASA GPM IMERG).
- Alerts when a reservoir changes far more than usual for the month, scored on held‑out data.