 This study investigates the feasibility of temporal monitoring of water bodies at a continental scale using MODIS, by processing a 2004-2010 time series of twice-daily observations covering the African continent and arriving 10-day indicators describing the location, variability, and temporal characterization of water bodies. The multispectral surface reflectance transformation in the HSV color space allows per pixel identification of surface water, while the water aggregation time indicator provides the water occurrence for each 10-day period. The cartographic products were successfully cross-validated with existing maps and water products, and the validation of the water body maximum extent map estimates the commission error at less than 6%, with seasonality information found to be consistent with the Coppen climatic classification. This article was authored by Raphael de Andremont and Pierre de Forney.