Water level fluctuations derived from ENVISAT Radar Altimeter (RA-2) and in-situ measurements in a subtropical waterbody: Lake Izabal (Guatemala)

The use of remote sensing techniques in monitoring inland waters has become a powerful tool, considering the amount of ungauged waterbodies all over the world. The water mass balance is an essential subject to take into account in water management activities. The level changes of a lake surface are an indicator of the water mass balance of a basin since they reflect the water storage variations. Space borne altimeters have been successfully used in the last decade to measure lakes, rivers and wetland stages. This study presents the first analysis of Lake Izabal — the biggest lake of Guatemala (Central America) — water level fluctuations using altimetry data and in-situ measurements. Water level variations were obtained from Envisat Radar Altimeter (RA-2) Geophysical Data Records coupled with in-situ measurements. The analysis period included three complete years (2004 to 2006). The rainfall and temperature records over the catchment were analyzed considering that the amount of water feeding the lake, either by the tributaries and/or the groundwater, is driven by the climatic conditions over the lakeʹs catchment. The results obtained show a good agreement between both, altimeter and in-situ datasets (correlation coefficient: 0.83 and rms error: 0.09 m). Lake Izabal water level fluctuations have a seasonal signal forced by the rainy and dry climate seasons in the region. An abrupt lake level rise was found in July 2006 which is correlated to abnormal precipitations in June. We found a connection between the higher/lower extreme values in the lake level variations with rainfall anomalies produced by regional climate changes forced by El Niño Southern Oscillation and the Tropical North Atlantic anomaly.