Abstract

Satellites, Drones, and Boats for Harmful Algal Bloom Mapping
Track: Water Resources
Authors: Nina Raqueno

In 2016 harmful algal blooms in the Finger Lakes prompted municipalities to collaborate with researchers in remote sensing to assess the bloom’s impact on local water supplies. Satellite images identified where imaging drones were to be deployed and field samples collected. The mapping of the bloom supported the elevated toxin levels measured in the treated water supply of one community. This prompted the dissemination of collected data in a Story Map Crowdsource to include citizen observations.