Location and Depth of Drainage Channels
The climate effectiveness of peatlands primarily depends on the peat water level and its changes. The activities in the ANK field of action for the protection of intact peatlands and re-wetting accordingly focus on raising the water level by waterlogging in peatland areas as a central measure for emission reduction. Monitoring the water level through earth observation sensors is not directly possible, but knowledge of the location and depth of drainage channels provides an indirect indication of the peat water level or a completed raising of the water level. Moreover, it provides additional input data for the analysis and modelling of water levels in peatlands. Together with the detection of overflow areas, both indicators support better comprehensive modelling of the peat water level as a basis for the calculation of emissions and the evaluation of measure implementation.