Kaptur Praises Federal Sharing of Satellite Data for Algal Bloom Warning System
Multi-agency effort will provide early detection to state and local agencies
WASHINGTON—Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur responded to an announcement today that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will launch a $3.6 million initiative that will use satellite data to provide an early warning system for toxic and nuisance algal blooms. Information will be provided to state and local agencies that can use the information to coordinate responses and issue public health advisories.
“The water conditions that our region faced last summer showed major weaknesses in our early detection and response systems for algal blooms,” said Rep. Kaptur. “Early detection and good information can make a big difference for decision-makers on the ground that need to coordinate an effective response to this kind of emergency. Systems like this can help deliver that information to decision-makers and to the public quickly. Combining this satellite imagery with targeted water testing will help keep our communities safe. I am pleased that NOAA, NASA, USEPA and USGS will collaborate on this project.”
Treatment of U.S. fresh water degraded by algal blooms costs an estimated $64 million every year with additional costs associated with the loss of water recreation and a decline in waterfront real estate values. In August 2014, officials in Toledo, Ohio, banned the use of drinking water supplied to more than 400,000 residents after it had been contaminated by an algal bloom in Lake Erie.
The first step in this five-year project will be creating a reliable, standard method for identifying cyanobacteria blooms in U.S. freshwater lakes and reservoirs using ocean color satellite data. Several satellite data sets will be evaluated and tested against environmental data from these water bodies. According to NOAA, Ocean color satellite data are currently accessible to scientists but are not generally converted into formats that could be used by state and local water quality managers. This data will also be deliverable to the public through mobile devices and web portals.
The project is also expected to improve overall understanding of the environmental causes and health effects of cyanobacteria and other algal blooms. Satellite data allows for more frequent observations over broader areas than water sampling alone. The data also supports NOAA’s existing harmful algae forecasting systems in the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. Researchers will also compare the new freshwater algal bloom satellite data with satellite records of land cover changes over time to look at which land-use activities may have caused environmental changes linked to the frequency and intensity of observed blooms. The results will help to develop better forecasts of bloom events.
“Observing harmful algae is critical to understanding, managing, and forecasting these blooms,” said Holly Bamford, Ph.D., acting assistant secretary of commerce for conservation and management, and deputy NOAA administrator. “This collaboration will assure that NOAA’s efforts will assist the coastal and inland public health officials and managers across the country to distribute this information to the community in an easily understandable fashion, making them more resilient to environmental events.”
“EPA researchers are developing important scientific tools to help local communities respond quickly and efficiently to real-time water quality issues and protect drinking water for their residents,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Working with other federal agencies, we are leveraging our scientific expertise, technology and data to create a mobile app to help water quality managers make important decisions to reduce negative impacts related to harmful algal blooms, which have been increasingly affecting our water bodies due to climate change.”
“Harmful algal blooms have emerged as a significant public health and economic issue that requires extensive scientific investigation,” said Suzette Kimball, acting USGS director. “USGS uses converging lines of evidence from ground to space to assess changes in water quantity and quality, ecosystems, natural hazards, and environmental health issues important to the nation.”
“The vantage point of space not only contributes to a better understanding of our home planet, it helps improve lives around the world,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. “We’re excited to be putting NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration to work protecting public health and safety.”
“Observations from space-based instruments are an ideal way to tackle this type of public health hazard because of their global coverage and ability to provide detailed information on material in the water, including algal blooms,” added Paula Bontempi of NASA’s earth science division.
This project also includes a research component to improve understanding of the environmental causes and health impacts of cyanobacteria and phytoplankton blooms across the United States. Blooms in lakes and estuaries result from aquatic plants receiving excess nutrients from watershed runoff, as well as other environmental conditions such as temperature and light. Some land uses, such as urbanization or modernized agricultural practices, change the amount of nutrients and sediment delivered in watersheds, which can influence cyanobacterial growth.
Researchers will compare the new freshwater algal bloom satellite data with satellite records of land cover changes over time to look at which land-use activities may have caused environmental changes linked to the frequency and intensity of observed blooms. The results will help to develop better forecasts of bloom events.
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