Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms in Kosciusko County, Indiana with Remote Sensing Insights

This study analyzes one subset of twelve lakes within Kosciusko County, Indiana between 2015 and 2021 to provide a quantitative understanding of the mechanisms which influence onset and occurrence of HABs. Analysis of water samples, balanced by imagery from satellite remote sensing platforms, are used to quantify the biogeochemical state of these water systems and better understand the mechanisms involved in formation of HABs. Parameters studied include in-situ measurements (e.g., water temperature), laboratory measurements (e.g., microcystin, nitrogen, and phosphorous concentrations), and satellite derived responses (chlorophyll-a). Results indicate no single parameter is correlated with cyanotoxin concentrations, but instead multiple parameters have a synergistic effect on algal bloom growth and toxicity.