Abstract: As satellite remote sensing provides a large spatial view, combined with a relatively high return frequency,it is a very cost-effective tool for wetland restoration monitoring. In this paper HJ-1 micro satellite remotesensing data were used for monitoring and evaluating the effect of wetland restoration through water transfer project in the Yellow River Delta. The results showed that the flow conditions of the former abandoned channel have been greatly improved through water transfer from the Yellow River. The river water body area increasedby 526 ha, and the hydrological situation of the river floodplain has much ameliorated. Some 437 ha of degraded wetlands in the nature reserve have been restored, which will be beneficial to biodiversity maintainance and habitat improvement in the Yellow River Delta. The paper argued that the Chinese HJ-1 remote sensingdata, with rich ground spectrum information and a high temporal resolution, can be used as an important source for wetland surveying and monitoring. However, it is necessary to further explore the spectral information of HJ-1 to deeply understand the long-term effect of water transfer and wetland restoration on regional ecosystemsat large spatial-temporal scales.

Key words: Diaokou estuary, HJ-1, remote sensing, restoration, the Yellow River Delta, wetlands