Sep 2025
Sedimentation in Saudi Arabia's 574 reservoirs: nationwide assessment using remote sensing and erosion modeling
Abstract
The seminar investigates dam sedimentation in Saudi Arabia from three angles: from above using satellite imagery to track reservoir water surface changes, from the side using upstream sensors to measure flash floods and sediment loads, and from the bottom through in-situ surveys and bathymetric mapping of sediment accumulation. Results show 63% of reservoirs are shrinking, sedimentation is the dominant cause over climate or water use, and total national storage capacity has declined by an estimated 32%, with some reservoirs facing full sediment infill within two decades.
Biography
Hylke Beck is a hydroclimatologist specializing in climate change impact assessment, extreme weather prediction, precipitation estimation, remote sensing, machine learning, and large-scale environmental data analysis. With over 90 peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals including Nature and an average of 4,500 citations per year, he is among the most cited researchers in his field. He has developed multiple widely used climate and weather data products, including an AI-powered precipitation product used across academia, government, and industry.