dataset · Global
OPERA Dynamic Surface Water Extent from Sentinel-1 (Version 1)
This dataset contains Level-3 Dynamic OPERA Surface Water Extent from Sentinel-1 (DSWx-S1) product version 1. DSWx-S1 provides near-global geographical mapping of surface water extent over land at a spatial resolution of 30 meters over the Military Grid reference System (MGRS) grid system, with a temporal revisit frequency between 6-12 days. Using Sentinel-1 radar observations, DSWx-S1 maps open inland water bodies greater than 3 hectares and 200 meters in width, irrespective of cloud conditions
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Licence: [Creative Commons BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Evidence quality: 46.3
Listed in aws-odr public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).
Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z
What's in it
- Data offered docs-verified
- surface water extent (open inland water classification) · water classification and confidence layers
- Coverage docs-verified
- Near-global, over land · 2024-08-01 to ongoing
- Resolution docs-verified
- 30 m spatial; temporal revisit 6-12 days
- Update frequency docs-verified
- Daily - < Weekly
- Formats docs-verified
- GeoTIFF
- Access docs-verified
- Creative Commons BY 4.0 licence; S3 bucket is controlled access, AWS credentials required
Useful for
- Use cases llm-inferred
- Historic open-water extent baseline for flood risk assessment (FRA) using Sentinel-1 radar time series · Cloud-independent flood extent mapping to support event review and drainage or civils post-event analysis · Validating modelled inundation extents against observed surface water masks
- Audience llm-inferred
- flood consultants · hydrologists · GIS analysts · environmental consultants · ecologists
Limitations
- Constraints llm-inferred
- Maps only open inland water bodies greater than 3 hectares and 200 m in width; smaller water bodies are not captured · Revisit of 6-12 days may miss short-lived flood peaks · Docs state forward production began Sept 2024, while the update window starts 2024-08-01 · Registry entry lists auth as null, but the docs say AWS credentials are needed to retrieve the data · Controlled-access S3 bucket, so access depends on obtaining credentials
Evidence
- arn:aws:s3:::podaac-ops-cumulus-protected/OPERA_L3_DSWX-S1_V1
- https://registry.opendata.aws/nasa-operal3dswx-s1v1/
Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.