Water flow in wetlands is complex and not easily confined, unlike river channels with well-defined banks. This complexity is best measured from a satellite with two-dimensional elevation mapping capabilities. This image, featured on the AGU homepage in January 2008, was derived from Alsdorf et al. (2007, Figure 1).

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Image of the Amazon floodplain, derived from a satellite with two-dimensional elevation mapping capabilities. Image of the Amazon floodplain, derived from a satellite with two-dimensional elevation mapping capabilities. Credit: Alsdorf, et al. (2007).