Alan Belward and his colleagues at the European Commission’s Joint Research Center have used over three decades of Landsat data to map surface water trends globally. This project was possible thanks to the long, freely available Landsat data record and the processing power of Google Earth Engine.
Related Reading:
+ USGS Video: Landsat in Action—Interview with Alan Belward
+ Mapping the World’s Most Precious Resource: Landsat Science Team Member Gives Surface Water TEDx Talk
+ Landsat Maps Global Surface Water

Above the Earth, Below the Surface: Landsat’s Role in Monitoring Water Quality
Safeguarding freshwater resources is crucial, and while scientists use a variety of ground-based techniques to gauge water quality, the Landsat program has provided water quality data from orbit for decades.