(Houghton, MI) — Satellites orbit our lives in so many ways. They beam our favorite TV shows to our living rooms, predict tomorrow’s weather, and tell us how to get where we want to go.
Now scientists from the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) are using satellite data to determine where harmful algal blooms (HABs) are proliferating in the Great Lakes and what threats they may pose to water quality and public health.
The project generates HABs maps of the Western Basin of Lake Erie, Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron and Green Bay on Lake Michigan. The maps show the location and extent of HABs in these waters, as well as areas of water quality and public health concern. Anyone can view the maps, which are updated weekly, by visitingwww.mtrihabsmapping.org.
HABs develop when nutrients from agricultural runoff encourage the development of high algae levels that can clog water intake pipes, affect the quality of drinking water, potentially harm pets and make humans sick. Climate change is another factor in the proliferation of HABs. Algae thrive in warmer water, and the water temperature in the Great Lakes has risen significantly in recent years and continues to rise.
For the full story, see http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/september/story95648.html.
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