Satellite-based characterizations of tidal wetland hydrology to provide volumetric water flux estimates in support of wetland-estuary biogeochemical exchange characterization

Situated at the terrestrial-estuarine interface, tidal wetlands influence and are influenced by numerous geophysical and biogeochemical processes in adjacent regions, both terrestrial and aquatic. Biogeochemical exchanges between tidal wetlands and estuaries are largely driven by tidal variability. Although many in situ studies have accurately characterized these tidally driven biogeochemical exchanges, accurate characterization of biogeochemical fluxes at the wetland system scale remains a challenge. In this study we use satellite-based inundation estimates, supported by in situ water stage observations to develop volumetric water flux estimates in support of biogeochemical exchange characterization. We document the development of several inundation products using primarily synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imagery and some optical imagery as well. We develop both C-band SAR and L-band SAR inundation products, highlighting the differences between these forms of SAR imagery in inundation mapping performance. We link coarse temporal resolution SAR-based lateral inundation estimates with high temporal resolution in situ water level observations and high spatial resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) to develop simple hydrologic models characterizing volumetric water fluxes in tidal wetland systems over large spatial extents. We perform these characterizations in Chesapeake Bay and Long Island Sound study sites and highlight differences in characterization approaches between low marsh and high marsh tidal wetland systems.