Smarter water management for peat soils
PeatWaterWise is an advanced, data-driven decision-support tool designed to monitor and manage water table depth (WTD) in peatlands—an environmental variable of critical importance.
Water table depth strongly controls not only agricultural productivity on peat soils, but also greenhouse gas emissions, as there is a well-established and high correlation between WTD and carbon release.
When peat soils are drained and the water table drops, oxidation accelerates, leading to significant CO₂ emissions. Conversely, maintaining optimal water levels can help reduce emissions while supporting sustainable land use. Similar principles apply in other water-sensitive systems such as rice paddies, where water management directly influences both productivity and methane emissions.
At its core, PeatWaterWise is powered by a combination of complex mathematical modelling and artificial intelligence (AI). The platform integrates satellite observations, field data, and environmental variables to estimate water table depth at fine spatial and temporal scales. AI techniques are used to enhance model performance, identify patterns in large datasets, and improve the accuracy of predictions under varying climatic and land management conditions. By combining remotely sensed soil moisture data with in-situ measurements, the system applies advanced downscaling approaches to deliver reliable, field-scale insights. This overcomes the limitations of traditional monitoring, which often relies on sparse and costly instrumentation.
PeatWaterWise is designed for a wide range of users, including farmers managing peat soils, landowners, drainage authorities, environmental agencies, and researchers. It provides clear, actionable insights to support better decisions around water management, rewetting strategies, and climate mitigation. By translating complex hydrological processes into practical information, the tool helps balance agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability.
Ultimately, PeatWaterWise bridges cutting-edge science and real-world application. By leveraging AI, satellite data, field observations, and robust mathematical models, it enables more effective peatland management supporting both sustainable agriculture and the reduction of carbon emissions.
