You are here:
A space satellite perspective to monitor water quality using your mobile phone
Citation:
Mattas-Curry, L., B. Schaeffer, R. Conmy, AND D. Keith. A space satellite perspective to monitor water quality using your mobile phone. LAKELINE. North American Lake Management Society, Madison, WI, 35(2):28-31, (2015).
Impact/Purpose:
Published in the North American Lake Management Society-LakeLine Magazine.
Description:
Good water quality is important for human health, economic development, and the health of our environment. Across the country, we face the challenge of degraded water quality in many of our rivers, lakes, coastal regions and oceans. The EPA National Rivers and Stream Assessment report found that more than half - 55 percent - of our rivers and streams are in poor condition for aquatic life. Likewise, the EPA Lakes Assessment found that 22 percent of our lakes are in poor condition for aquatic life. The reasons for unhealthy water quality are vast. Likewise, poor water quality has numerous impacts to ecosystems. One indicator, which trends during warm weather months, is the duration and frequency of harmful algal blooms. A healthy environment includes good water quality to support a rich and varied ecosystem, economic growth, and protects the health of the people in the community who rely on that water. Having the ability to monitor and provide timely response to harmful algal blooms would be one step in protecting the benefits people receive from good water quality (U.S. EPA 2010 and 2013).