Water Body Monitoring

Satellite data is suitable for various questions concerning water body monitoring.

Example 1

The airborne imaging spectrometer AVIS offers detailed information for the derivation of dissolved matter in water bodies because of its hyperspectral data and its high spectral sensitivity.

Spectral analysis of a lake. Neighbouring areas of water and vegetation show different chlorophyll contents

Water quality in Main. Various parameters like turbidity, submerged as well as surface macrophytes and chlorophyll content can be analyzed

Hyperspectral AVIS image

Suspended particles (dark blue = few particles, orange = many particles)

Macrophytes (blue = low value, green = medium value, yellow = high value)

Chlorophyll (blue = low value, green = high value)

Example 2

Rapid growing of Elodea nuttallii can be problematic for water sports in shallow lakes. Using satellite data, snapshots as well as changes over time can be analyzed.

Snapshot of a lake where a spectral macrophyte classification (right) was performed to allow for monitoring of Elodea

Example 3

Often a multitemporal observation of the macrophytes is useful. With this, spatial changes in the affected area can be observed.

Spectral classification of macrophytes in a reservoir in July (left) and August (middle) and map of the increase or decrease in macrophytes between these months (right)

Areas of interest in water body monitoring are also found here:

The examples are taken among others from a project done for the Niedersächsische Landesamt für Ökologie (NLÖ) “Makrophytenklassifikation des Steinhuder Meeres auf Grundlage von Satellitenbildern“ (macrophyte classification of the Steinhuder Meer on basis of satellite data) as well as a study for the Ruhrverband “Makrophytenklassifikation der Ruhrstauseen auf der Grundlage von Satellitendaten“ (macrophyte classification of the Ruhr reservoirs on basis of satellite data).