Satellite Data Rendered Irrigation Using Penman-Monteith and Sebal (sDRIPS) for Surface Water Irrigation Optimization¶

sDRIPS (pronouced as "drips") is a scalable and user-friendly framework designed to support sustainable surface water management in irrigation. It offers an irrigation advisory system that serves both water users (e.g., farmers) and water providers (e.g., canal operators), facilitating the efficient allocation of surface water resources in response to dynamic climatic and anthropogenic challenges—such as reduced river outflows due to upstream dam operations on transboundary rivers.

The system integrates satellite remote sensing data with Global Forecast System (GFS) weather forecasts and uses evapotranspiration models—specifically SEBAL (Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land) and Penman-Monteith—to estimate net crop water requirements. By integrating these satellite and model-based datasets, sDRIPS generates actionable water allocation advisories tailored to specific regions and cropping patterns. It can also incorporate in-situ sensors and local weather stations to enhance the accuracy of its estimates.