El Chafi Marchland water surface dynamics

Dataset: High-Resolution Surface Water Mapping of Ahwar el Shafi, Iraq (2016–2024) Description This repository contains a series of annual high-resolution surface water maps for the Ahwar el Shafi marshes in Southern Iraq. These data were generated to serve as a high-fidelity demonstrator of contemporary hydrological variability within the Mesopotamian Marshlands, specifically highlighting the impact of recent hydro-climatic extremes. The dataset consists of annual snapshots captured during the month of July, providing a consistent baseline for monitoring summer water retention and drought impact over the last nine years. Data Specifications Satellite Constellation: Copernicus Sentinel-2A & Sentinel-2B. Processing Level: Level-2A (L2A) Bottom-of-Atmosphere (BOA) Reflectance. Temporal Range: 2016–2024 (Annual July snapshots). Spatial Resolution: 10 meters. Coordinate Reference System: WGS 84 / UTM zone 38N (EPSG:32638). File Format: GeoTIFF (.tif). Methodology The classification of surface water was performed using the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). By leveraging the Green ($B3$) and Near-Infrared ($B8$) bands of the Sentinel-2 MSI sensor, we isolated open water bodies from the surrounding arid soil and marsh vegetation. Processing Workflow: Atmospheric Correction: All scenes were processed to Level-2A (surface reflectance) to ensure inter-annual comparability and to minimize atmospheric scattering. Index Calculation: NDWI = Green - NIR / (Green+ NIR) Thresholding: A standardized zero-threshold (NDWI > 0.05) was applied to extract the "Flooded Area" pixels. Temporal Filtering: July was selected as the representative month to capture the marshes at their most vulnerable state during the peak of the dry season. Technical Significance These maps provide empirical evidence of the radical shifts in the Shafi hydrological regime: 2018: Illustrates the severe contraction of the marsh extent during the regional water crisis. 2019: Captures the "flood pulse" recovery following exceptional precipitation and upstream releases. Context: These data support the manuscript's argument that Southern Iraqi water resources are governed by a complex mix of climatological forcing and transboundary management decisions.