Satellite-Detected Soil Saturation and Flood Waters in Buulobarde Shabelle Region

This dataset maps approximately 10,434 hectares of potentially saturated soils and probable flood waters in the Buulobarde Shabelle region of Somalia. It was derived from UNITAR-UNOSAT analysis of satellite imagery acquired on 30 October 2015 and 02 January 2015. The data covers the districts of Bulo Burto, Jalalaqsi, and Jowhar.

Use Cases

• Analyze the spatial distribution of the 10,088 hectares of potentially saturated wet soils for agricultural impact assessment.
• Model flood risk by correlating the 346 hectares of probable standing flood waters with regional topography and infrastructure data.
• Validate and refine flood extent models using the UNITAR-UNOSAT satellite-derived analysis for the Shabelle Dhexe and Hiraan provinces.
• Support humanitarian aid planning by mapping detected water bodies and saturated soil areas against population centers.

Strengths

• Quantifies a total affected area of roughly 10,434 hectares with breakdowns for saturated soil and flood water.
• Provides geospatial data for three specific districts: Bulo Burto, Jalalaqsi, and Jowhar.
• Analysis conducted by the authoritative United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT).

Limitations

• The analysis is based on low spatial resolution satellite data, introducing uncertainty in flood water limits.
• The dataset likely underestimates the total flood-affected area within the map extent.
• The findings have not been validated through ground truthing as of the analysis date.

Provenance

Source

United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT)

Collection Method

Satellite imagery analysis identifying saturated soils and probable flood waters.

Time Range

Imagery from 02 January 2015 and 30 October 2015.

Freshness

The underlying satellite imagery is from 2015, though the dataset record was last updated in 2026.

Geography

Buulobarde Shabelle region, specifically districts of Bulo Burto, Jalalaqsi, and Jowhar in Shabelle Dhexe and Hiraan provinces, Somalia.