Data on flows in irrigation and drainage canals and data on climate, crops, and cropped areas are essential for the management of irrigation systems. Only part of these data can be collected with satellite remote sensing (SRS). This paper discusses the possibilities for the practical use of SRS data in the management of irrigation systems. Satellite remote sensing images are more useful for intra- and inter-seasonal monitoring, with a time horizon of months or years, than for use in day-to-day management of irrigation schemes: either the operation of the system cannot be changed quickly, or the operation would require a more frequent input of SRS data than is at present feasible.