2026-01-12 HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL 2026 null(卷), null(期), (null页)
Soil moisture is a critical variable in hydrological processes, and understanding its distribution across various spatiotemporal scales is essential, particularly in semi-arid regions. This study aims to reduce uncertainty in the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil moisture in a small basin, integrating hydrological modelling with remote sensing in a geostatistical framework. Over eight years, soil moisture measurements at representative locations validated the hydrological model effectively. Mapping was carried out incorporating biophysical indices and elevation data. Land surface temperature, Normalized Difference Water Index for vegetation (NDWIveg) and elevation presented strong interaction with soil moisture, with a dependence scale of up to 1 km. Using co-kriging for simulated soil moisture, with NDWIveg as covariate, significantly reduced uncertainties. This procedure provides a robust approach for assessing soil moisture dynamics and scales of variability in a small semi-arid catchment, offering an innovative methodology for water resource management and sustainability strategies.