Monitoring Water Quality of Great Salt Lake using Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM)
Location
Eccles Conference Center
Event Website
http://water.usu.edu/
Start Date
3-30-2011 9:20 AM
End Date
3-30-2011 9:40 AM
Description
Anthropogenic influences are degrading parts of the Great Salt Lake in Utah to hypereutrophic conditions, where frequent severe algal blooms and low transparencies are becoming dominant. The southeastem part of the Great Salt Lake, Farmington Bay, experiences frequent toxic blooms of cyanobacteria, where cyanobacteria levels frequently exceed standard levels to protect public health and wildlife (Wurtbaugh and Marcarelli 2006). This study investigates the use of Landsat 5 TM data and field data to map phycocyanin (PC), a cyanobacteria biomarker, along with chlorophyll-a (Chi-a) and Secchi Disk Depth (SOD) patterns for Farmington and Gilbert Bay of the Great Salt Lake. PC, Chi-a, and SDD data were collected from 15 stations on 17 August, 2009. Algorithms to estimate these water quality parameters were established using regressions based on the 17 August, 2009 LANDSAT 5 TM data and field data. Images from 16 July and 1 August 2009 were used to validate estimates of PC, Chi-a, and SOD with field measurements. Eight thematic water quality maps from 27 April to 18 September 2009 were created using these algorithms. Thematic water quality maps confirmed spatial and temporal variations found in field data. Chl-a and PC reached higher levels in Farmington Bay, while Chl-a was lower and PC was nearly absent in Gilbert Bay. When brine shrimp were present, Chl-a levels decreased from grazing and SOD increased in Gilbert Bay. This method would be a cost effective method for managers to evaluate spatial and temporal water quality parameters and detect early stages of toxic Cyanobacteria blooms for the Great Salt Lake.
Monitoring Water Quality of Great Salt Lake using Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM)
Eccles Conference Center
Anthropogenic influences are degrading parts of the Great Salt Lake in Utah to hypereutrophic conditions, where frequent severe algal blooms and low transparencies are becoming dominant. The southeastem part of the Great Salt Lake, Farmington Bay, experiences frequent toxic blooms of cyanobacteria, where cyanobacteria levels frequently exceed standard levels to protect public health and wildlife (Wurtbaugh and Marcarelli 2006). This study investigates the use of Landsat 5 TM data and field data to map phycocyanin (PC), a cyanobacteria biomarker, along with chlorophyll-a (Chi-a) and Secchi Disk Depth (SOD) patterns for Farmington and Gilbert Bay of the Great Salt Lake. PC, Chi-a, and SDD data were collected from 15 stations on 17 August, 2009. Algorithms to estimate these water quality parameters were established using regressions based on the 17 August, 2009 LANDSAT 5 TM data and field data. Images from 16 July and 1 August 2009 were used to validate estimates of PC, Chi-a, and SOD with field measurements. Eight thematic water quality maps from 27 April to 18 September 2009 were created using these algorithms. Thematic water quality maps confirmed spatial and temporal variations found in field data. Chl-a and PC reached higher levels in Farmington Bay, while Chl-a was lower and PC was nearly absent in Gilbert Bay. When brine shrimp were present, Chl-a levels decreased from grazing and SOD increased in Gilbert Bay. This method would be a cost effective method for managers to evaluate spatial and temporal water quality parameters and detect early stages of toxic Cyanobacteria blooms for the Great Salt Lake.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2011/AllAbstracts/21