{"id":2954934,"date":"2026-02-09T09:00:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T17:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2954934"},"modified":"2026-02-12T14:03:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T22:03:52","slug":"extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data","title":{"rendered":"Extracting Water from SAR Satellite Data"},"author":319752,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[22931,22941,23051],"tags":[780272,557702,758071,768822,37771],"industry":[],"product":[36581,36551,36561],"class_list":["post-2954934","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-imagery","category-mapping","category-water","tag-floods","tag-imagery-and-remote-sensing","tag-sar","tag-satellite","tag-water","product-arcgis-living-atlas","product-arcgis-online","product-arcgis-pro"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":319752,"user_firstname":"Elizabeth","user_lastname":"Menezes","nickname":"Elizabeth Menezes","user_nicename":"elizabeth-menezes","display_name":"Elizabeth Ashley Menezes","user_email":"emenezes@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2022-10-07 16:23:06","user_description":"Hello, World! \r\nElizabeth here to share my world with the world one map at a time! I am a Raster Product Engineer with the Imagery &amp; Remote Sensing team. I focus and work on UX\/UI design and development of RADAR &amp; SAR based capabilities at Esri. My education is in geophysics and my thesis work centered around understanding induced earthquake occurrences using seismic data and satellite imagery. As an advocate for science communication, I enjoy bridging the gap between science and design \u2014 combining my technical knowledge with my keen eye for design to create beautiful science.","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Elizabeth_Menezes_profile1_crop-213x200.jpg' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"},{"ID":362132,"user_firstname":"Lisa","user_lastname":"Tanh","nickname":"Lisa Tanh","user_nicename":"ltanh","display_name":"Lisa Tanh","user_email":"ltanh@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2024-09-19 16:47:18","user_description":"Lisa is a Solution Engineer on Esri's National Government Health &amp; Sciences team where she primarily supports NASA, NOAA, and the EPA. Her research interests include environmental science, imagery, and remote sensing. Lisa previously worked within NASA Earth Action.","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Lisa_Headshot-465x465.jpeg' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"}],"short_description":"This article gives an overview of the different methods of extracting water with SAR data in ArcGIS","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2955431,"id":2955431,"title":"Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS Blog Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31","filename":"Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","filesize":4234471,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\/hurricane_gif_arcgis-blog-article_radar_emenezes_2026-jan-31","alt":"A watercolor style illustration painted and animated by Elizabeth Ashley Menezes of Earth showing the Caribbean and northern South America, with a large swirling hurricane forming over the Atlantic Ocean.","author":"319752","description":"","caption":"","name":"hurricane_gif_arcgis-blog-article_radar_emenezes_2026-jan-31","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2954934,"date":"2026-02-04 14:58:13","modified":"2026-02-04 15:01:46","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":706,"height":354,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":233,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","medium_large-width":706,"medium_large-height":354,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","large-width":706,"large-height":354,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","1536x1536-width":706,"1536x1536-height":354,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","2048x2048-width":706,"2048x2048-height":354,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","card_image-width":706,"card_image-height":354,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Hurricane_GIF_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.gif","wide_image-width":706,"wide_image-height":354}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>How can we map floods even when storm clouds block satellite views?<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>When devastating hurricanes, cyclones, and tropical storms flood the earth, traditional optical satellites often can&#8217;t capture the full picture. Storm clouds, heavy rain, and darkness create a visual barrier that leaves emergency responders and flood mappers swimming blind.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<details style=\"float: right;margin: 1em 0 1em 1em;width: 300px\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;padding: 8px 12px;border: 1px solid #ccc;border-radius: 4px;background: #2b7f9c;color: #fff;font-weight: bold;text-align: center\" title=\"\ud83d\udec8 Toggle button\">\u2728CLICK HERE REVEAL\u2728<\/summary>\n<summary style=\"padding: 8px 12px;border: 1px solid #ccc;border-radius: 4px;background: #fff;color: #2b7f9c;font-weight: bold;text-align: center;font-size: 17px\">(CLICK AGAIN TO HIDE)<\/summary>\n<div><video src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SAR-Lightning_motion_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.mp4\" preload=\"metadata\" autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"330\"> Your browser does not support the video tag.<\/video><\/div>\n<\/details>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p><strong>But what if there was a way to peer through these obstacles and reveal exactly where water has spread across the landscape?<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>Enter Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), remarkable technology that uses radar waves instead of visible light to create detailed images of Earth&#8217;s surface. Think of it as giving satellites &#8220;radar vision&#8221; that work 24\/7, regardless of weather conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike optical satellites, SAR doesn&#8217;t rely on sunlight or clear skies. It actively sends out radar pulses and measures how they bounce back from different surfaces. Water has a unique radar signature, and it appears distinctly different from dry land, vegetation, or urban areas. This makes SAR incredibly powerful for detecting water and flood boundaries, even during the height of a storm.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h2>From Exploration to Action<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Curious about diving even deeper into your analysis and maybe even getting your feet a little wet in the process?<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2955665,"id":2955665,"title":"Dive Deeper_image_ArcGIS Blog Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31","filename":"Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","filesize":557830,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\/dive-deeper_image_arcgis-blog-article_radar_emenezes_2026-jan-31","alt":"A watercolor style illustration painted by Elizabeth Ashley Menezes of floodwater","author":"319752","description":"","caption":"","name":"dive-deeper_image_arcgis-blog-article_radar_emenezes_2026-jan-31","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2954934,"date":"2026-02-07 02:49:47","modified":"2026-02-07 02:50:54","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":968,"height":716,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","medium-width":353,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":568,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","large-width":968,"large-height":716,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","1536x1536-width":968,"1536x1536-height":716,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","2048x2048-width":968,"2048x2048-height":716,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31-629x465.png","card_image-width":629,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dive-Deeper_image_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31.png","wide_image-width":968,"wide_image-height":716}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">ArcGIS offers sophisticated tools that transform SAR satellite data into actionable <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">flood<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">\u00a0and waterbody<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">\u00a0maps.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">With ArcGIS Pro SAR analysis <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">toolset and<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">\u00a0deep learning-based\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">waterbody<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">\u00a0extraction models you can\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">identify<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW184122793 BCX0\">\u00a0flood boundaries, turning hours of manual analysis into minutes of automated processing.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW184122793 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Whether you&#8217;re tracking permanent water bodies like rivers or monitoring emergency flood events, ArcGIS SAR technology offers powerful capabilities. The integration with ArcGIS means you can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access global SAR data instantly through Living Atlas<\/li>\n<li>Compare before-and-after flood scenarios with intuitive tools<\/li>\n<li>Apply advanced water extraction algorithms with just a few clicks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h2><strong>Methods for Extracting Water from SAR Data<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Explore the following methods that you can do to extract water insights!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Not sure which method to start with? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Each method offers a different level of complexity, flexibility, and speed, so your choice depends on your goals. If you want to quickly explore SAR imagery and compare flood conditions without needing to download data, the <strong>Sentinel\u20111 Explorer<\/strong> \u202f(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data#method1\"><span data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">jump to section<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">)<\/span> is the simplest place to begin. If you need more control, customization, or repeatable workflows, the <strong>ArcGIS Pro geoprocessing tools <\/strong>\u202f(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data#method2\"><span data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">jump to section<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">)<\/span> provide a full analytical environment. If your priority is automated detection of waterbodies with minimal setup, the ready\u2011to\u2011use <strong>deep learning model<\/strong> is the most efficient option\u202f(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data#method3\"><span data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">jump to section<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">)<\/span>. Start with the method that best matches your experience level and analysis needs, then explore the others as you expand your workflow!<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<table style=\"width: 100%;border-collapse: collapse\">\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #2b7f9c;color: white;font-weight: bold;text-align: center\">\n<th style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Method<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Skill Level<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Best For<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Data Requirements<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Strengths<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc;font-weight: bold\">Sentinel\u20111 Explorer<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Beginner<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Rapid visual comparison of flooding before and after events<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">No downloads required; uses Living Atlas data<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Fast, intuitive, browser-based; great for exploring global SAR data; interactive tools like Swipe<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc;font-weight: bold\">ArcGIS Pro SAR Geoprocessing Tools<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Beginner to Advanced<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Detailed analysis, custom workflows, and precise extraction<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Requires downloading and preparing SAR data; DEM optional<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Full control of processing steps; supports calibration, terrain flattening, and despeckling<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc;font-weight: bold\">Deep Learning Water Body Extraction Model<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Intermediate to Advanced<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Automated water detection at scale with minimal manual steps<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">Requires preprocessing of Sentinel\u20111 SAR data and installed deep learning libraries<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 8px;border: 1px solid #ccc\">No model training needed; ideal for repetitive tasks or large areas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h3 id=\"method1\"><strong>Method #1: Sentinel-1 Explorer with the Water Index <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Want to be able to quickly compare images before and after a flooding event? Well now you can, with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/learn-sentinel-1-explorer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sentinel-1 Explorer<\/a>! But here&#8217;s where it gets really exciting! It offers a user-friendly entry point into SAR analysis.\u00a0You don&#8217;t need to be a radar expert to tap into this technology. Thanks to <a href=\"https:\/\/livingatlas.arcgis.com\/en\/browse\/?q=%22Sentinel-1%20Explorer%22#q=%22Sentinel-1+Explorer%22&amp;d=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ArcGIS Living Atlas<\/a>, Sentinel-1 SAR data is now as accessible as checking the weather on your phone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The real kicker?<\/strong> This global dataset stretches back to 2014, creating a treasure trove of flood history at your fingertips. Whether you&#8217;re a student, researcher, or emergency manager, you can access this data directly in your browser without downloading massive files.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"storymap","title":"\u2194\ufe0fSee the built-in Swipe tool and Water Index renderer in action! \ud83d\udca7","description":"<p>You can literally watch how flood waters spread across the landscape in Athens during this 2023 storm event.<\/p>\n","static":false,"storymap_url":"<a href=\"https:\/\/livingatlas.arcgis.com\/sentinel1explorer\/#mapCenter=23.74005%2C37.98139%2C13.000&#038;mode=swipe&#038;mainScene=2023-08-27%7CSWI+Colorized%7C2091093&#038;sentinel1=Descending%7CVV&#038;secondaryScene=2023-09-01%7CSWI+Colorized%7C2093582&#038;autoSwipeSpeed=0.25\">https:\/\/livingatlas.arcgis.com\/sentinel1explorer\/#mapCenter=23.74005%2C37.98139%2C13.000&amp;mode=swipe&amp;mainScene=2023-08-27%7CSWI+Colorized%7C2091093&amp;sentinel1=Descending%7CVV&amp;secondaryScene=2023-09-01%7CSWI+Colorized%7C2093582&amp;autoSwipeSpeed=0.25<\/a>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Click the following link to see Indonesia during the <a href=\"https:\/\/livingatlas.arcgis.com\/sentinel1explorer\/#mapCenter=97.49950%2C5.15761%2C11.864&amp;mode=swipe&amp;mainScene=2025-11-16%7CSWI+Colorized%7C2614306&amp;secondaryScene=2025-11-28%7CSWI+Colorized%7C2624023&amp;sentinel1=Ascending%7CVV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2025 storm event<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll see the November 16<sup>th<\/sup> imagery precedes the flood, while November 28<sup>th<\/sup> imagery captures the aftermath.<\/li>\n<li>While in the <strong>Swipe<\/strong> mode, use the <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 20px;vertical-align: text-bottom\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Drag-to-compare-icon.png\" alt=\"icon\" \/> to &#8220;Drag to compare&#8221; the two dates. It is currently being rendered with the <strong>Water Index<\/strong>, which highlights water presence. The areas in blue show areas that have a high water index. Notice that the image on the right (post event) shows a higher water index.<\/li>\n<li>Use the<b>\u00a0<\/b><strong>Analyze<\/strong> button to change modes, with the <span style=\"font-weight: normal !msorm\"><strong>Index mask<\/strong><\/span> button selected, see the index calculated to delineate and measure estimated surface area of things like water and water anomalies, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-living-atlas\/mapping\/learn-sentinel-1-explorer#index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how to steps<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Download the data<\/strong><br \/>\nIf you\u2019d like to directly download the SAR data after exploring, scene information is provided to <a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/map-floods-with-sar-data-and-deep-learning\/#apply-this-workflow-to-your-own-area-of-interest-(optional)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">download Sentinel-1 data<\/a>. Alternatively, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/home\/item.html?id=ca91605a3261409aa984f01f7d065fbc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sentinel-1 RTC<\/a> data behind the explorer can be accessed via <a href=\"https:\/\/livingatlas.arcgis.com\/en\/browse\/?q=Sentinel-1%20RTC#q=Sentinel-1+RTC&amp;d=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ArcGIS Living Atlas<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Directly open it in Map Viewer or ArcGIS Pro Desktop.<\/li>\n<li>Explore the same Processing Template options available in the Explorer within ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Map Viewer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>TLDR<\/strong>: A quick, way to compare SAR scenes and spot flooding directly in your browser.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"method2\"><strong>Method #2<\/strong><strong>: ArcGIS Pro SAR Toolset Geoprocessing Tools for Analysis <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Since SAR data contains bands with non-visible wavelengths, a common way to analyze SAR data is to create a color composite to make the data easier to interpret. A color composite uses band combinations for the red, green, and blue display channels to create a color image. Additionally, read this StoryMap resource, <a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/eb560d43760d4709b5357835cbe50082#ref-n-KxphC5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SAR Analysis for Create Color Composite<\/a>. Then you can see how to <a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/explore-sar-satellite-imagery\/#identify-flooded-areas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">identify flooded areas<\/a> in this tutorial section or read this documentation to learn how to<a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/help\/analysis\/image-analyst\/interpret-sar-data-for-flood-mapping.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> interpret SAR data for flood mapping<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2955243,"id":2955243,"title":"GP Tool EW_figure_ArcGIS Blog Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured image size (portrait 900 x 800 pixels)","filename":"GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","filesize":107345,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\/gp-tool-ew_figure_arcgis-blog-article_radar_emenezes_2026-jan-31_featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels","alt":"Image of Extract Water tool and input parameters in ArcGIS Pro","author":"319752","description":"Extract Water tool parameters\n","caption":"","name":"gp-tool-ew_figure_arcgis-blog-article_radar_emenezes_2026-jan-31_featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2954934,"date":"2026-01-31 21:17:38","modified":"2026-02-06 22:36:49","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":900,"height":800,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","medium-width":294,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":683,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","large-width":900,"large-height":800,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","1536x1536-width":900,"1536x1536-height":800,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","2048x2048-width":900,"2048x2048-height":800,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels-523x465.png","card_image-width":523,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GP-Tool-EW_figure_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-31_Featured-image-size-portrait-900-x-800-pixels.png","wide_image-width":900,"wide_image-height":800}},"image_position":"right","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>Alternatively, the geoprocessing tool, <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/image-analyst\/extract-water.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Extract Water<\/a>, creates polygons by classifying radar backscatter pixels. To preview this tool in action, check out this ArcGIS Pro short video, <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/5cwT06jlhj4?si=Pz_B20mj99PrdvNi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use the Extract Water Geoprocessing Tool in ArcGIS Pro<\/a>. Additionally, read this StoryMap resource, <a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/eb560d43760d4709b5357835cbe50082#ref-n-4Egs9o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SAR Analysis for Extract Water<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<ol>\n<li>Download SAR satellite data for any <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/help\/analysis\/image-analyst\/sar-raster-types.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">supported sensor data<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Prepare the data:<br \/>\n\u2013 For offshore, use the <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/image-analyst\/apply-radiometric-calibration.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apply Radiometric Calibration<\/a> tool to calibrate to Gamma nought<br \/>\n\u2013 For onshore, use the Apply Radiometric Calibration tool to calibrate to Beta nought, then use the <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/image-analyst\/apply-radiometric-terrain-flattening.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apply Radiometric Terrain Flattening<\/a> tool to generate flattened Gamma nought<br \/>\n\u2013 (optional) Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/image-analyst\/despeckle.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Despeckle<\/a> tool and\/or <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/image-analyst\/remove-thermal-noise.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Remove Thermal Noise<\/a> tool to mitigate noise<\/li>\n<li>Input the prepared data and optional DEM.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Run<\/strong>. You\u2019ll see in the map that the tool creates polygons for water areas and will also create polygons for areas that are not water (land areas).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>TLDR<\/strong>: A customizable workflow that lets you preprocess SAR satellite data from supported sensors and extract water with high precision.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"method3\"><strong>Method #3: Water Body Extraction with a Deep Learning Model <\/strong><\/h3>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","content":"<p><strong>Note<\/strong>: Before using this model, ensure that the necessary deep learning libraries are installed. For details, see <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/Esri\/deep-learning-frameworks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Deep Learning Libraries Installer for ArcGIS<\/a>.<\/p>\n","image_reference":false,"layout":"standard","image_reference_figure":"","snippet":"","spotlight_name":"","section_title":"","position":"Right","spotlight_image":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>Skip the hassle of training! Use this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/esri-rasterdev.maps.arcgis.com\/home\/item.html?id=6247b5485d9549b6a335d3060c503488\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ready-to-use deep learning model<\/a>\u00a0that\u2019s already been trained to recognize water bodies in SAR imagery. No need to spend months training your own model! Just download, install, and start mapping floods like a pro. This model is ideal for permanent water bodies, such as rivers. The tutorial \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/map-floods-with-sar-data-and-deep-learning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Map floods with SAR data and deep learning<\/a>\u201d provides step-by-step guidance for implementing these techniques in your own area of interest. From the tutorial, you\u2019ll discover how to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/map-floods-with-sar-data-and-deep-learning\/#apply-this-workflow-to-your-own-area-of-interest-(optional)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">download Sentinel-1 data<\/a>, apply the necessary processing steps, and extract meaningful flood information using the cutting-edge deep learning model and the <a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/79eeea17e42a49d3b06091c64a7be543#ref-n-QknKxj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Binary Thresholding<\/a> technique.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\" align=\"center\"><strong>Scroll below to preview the <a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/map-floods-with-sar-data-and-deep-learning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tutorial page<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"storymap","title":"\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f","description":"","static":false,"storymap_url":"<a href=\"https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/map-floods-with-sar-data-and-deep-learning\/\">https:\/\/learn.arcgis.com\/en\/projects\/map-floods-with-sar-data-and-deep-learning\/<\/a>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>TLDR<\/strong>: A ready\u2011to\u2011use model that automatically identifies waterbodies at scale.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>The Future of Flood Resilience<\/h2>\n<p>As climate change intensifies weather patterns across the globe, tools like SAR become essential for building resilient communities. The ability to rapidly assess flood impacts, track water recession, and plan recovery efforts can mean the difference between effective response and prolonged disaster.<\/p>\n<p>The next time storm clouds gather and traditional satellites go dark, remember: SAR technology is still watching, still mapping, and still providing the critical insights needed to understand and respond to our changing world!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2955265,"id":2955265,"title":"watercolor esri logo","filename":"watercolor-esri-logo.png","filesize":202354,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\/watercolor-esri-logo","alt":"","author":"319752","description":"","caption":"","name":"watercolor-esri-logo","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2954934,"date":"2026-02-01 17:31:15","modified":"2026-02-01 17:31:15","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":711,"height":183,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo-213x183.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":183,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":119,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":183,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","large-width":711,"large-height":183,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":183,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":183,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","card_image-width":711,"card_image-height":183,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/watercolor-esri-logo.png","wide_image-width":711,"wide_image-height":183}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""}],"related_articles":[{"ID":2630252,"post_author":"319752","post_date":"2025-01-07 07:00:16","post_date_gmt":"2025-01-07 15:00:16","post_content":"","post_title":"Getting to Know the SAR Analysis Toolset","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"getting-to-know-the-sar-analysis-toolset","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-01-07 09:42:38","post_modified_gmt":"2025-01-07 17:42:38","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2630252","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2155952,"post_author":"319752","post_date":"2023-11-13 10:00:11","post_date_gmt":"2023-11-13 18:00:11","post_content":"","post_title":"Demystifying SAR Satellite Data in ArcGIS Pro: Sentinel-1","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"demystifying-sar-satellite-data-in-arcgis-pro-sentinel-1","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-12-06 13:06:14","post_modified_gmt":"2023-12-06 21:06:14","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2155952","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1822372,"post_author":"319752","post_date":"2023-01-25 15:24:05","post_date_gmt":"2023-01-25 23:24:05","post_content":"","post_title":"Introduction to Synthetic Aperture Radar","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"introduction-to-synthetic-aperture-radar","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-05-12 12:24:03","post_modified_gmt":"2025-05-12 19:24:03","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=1822372","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"show_article_image":true,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SAR-EW_card_ArcGIS-Blog-Article_Radar_emenezes_2026-Jan-30_Final.png","wide_image":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - 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Compare methods and choose the best workflow.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Extracting Water from SAR Satellite Data\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to extract water from SAR data using Sentinel\u20111 Explorer, ArcGIS Pro tools, and deep learning models. Compare methods and choose the best workflow.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ArcGIS Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-12T22:03:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ESRI\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elizabeth Ashley Menezes\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6309123991571cf2cb2428319f89a6fa\"},\"headline\":\"Extracting Water from SAR Satellite Data\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-09T17:00:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-12T22:03:52+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\"},\"wordCount\":6,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"Floods\",\"Imagery and remote sensing\",\"SAR\",\"satellite\",\"Water\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Imagery &amp; Remote Sensing\",\"Mapping\",\"Water\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/imagery\/extracting-water-from-sar-satellite-data\",\"name\":\"Extracting Water from SAR Satellite Data | Methods, Deep Learning, and ArcGIS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-09T17:00:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-12T22:03:52+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how to extract water from SAR data using Sentinel\u20111 Explorer, ArcGIS Pro tools, and deep learning models. 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