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Satellite Monitoring

Regular satellite checks for lakes and reservoirs of about 5 acres or more, so changes are caught early, even between site visits.

Why satellite monitoring

Eyes on your water between visits

Algae blooms can develop and turn toxic, invasive plants can spread quickly, and clarity can drop, often below the surface or between visits. Without regular data it is hard to know where to focus or when to act.

Satellite monitoring collects imagery across your whole waterbody on every clear sky satellite pass. Artificial intelligence models, built on decades of lake science, turn that imagery into water health indicators and flag changes from normal conditions, so we can act early instead of reacting after a problem has grown.

What satellites see

The whole lake, not just one sample point

A water sample shows one spot on one day. Satellite imagery covers every part of the lake on every clear pass, so patterns show up that a boat or a shoreline check would miss.

Satellite image of an example reservoir with a swirling green algae bloom
Algae bloomsBlooms show up as green swirls and streaks, often before they are obvious from shore.Example. Image: Olha Tomchenko / CC BY 4.0
Satellite image showing an algae bloom spread across an example lake
How far a bloom has spreadImagery maps where a bloom is and how its size changes from one pass to the next.Example. Image: NASA Earth Observatory
Satellite image of an example lake clouded by suspended sediment
Clarity changesRunoff and stirred up sediment change water color and clarity across the lake.Example. Image: NASA Goddard / CC BY 2.0

Header image: NASA / USGS Landsat.

What we watch

Surface and subsurface conditions

Every lake gets a health score and an alert level, with the drivers behind each one.

Algae bloomsEarly signs of algae growth, including blooms that can become toxic.
Subsurface chlorophyllAlgae building below the surface before a bloom is visible.
Surface vegetationPlant growth and fast spreading vegetation, including invasive species.
Water clarityShifts in clarity across the whole lake, not just one sample point.
Changes from normalConditions compared with your lake's own history and season.
TrendsHow algae, vegetation and clarity have changed over the season and against last year.

How it works

Observe, analyze, alert, act

Monitoring runs in the background all season, and we step in when your lake needs attention.

  1. ObserveSatellite imagery is collected on every clear sky satellite pass over your waterbody. No field crew is needed for each check.
  2. AnalyzeAI models process the imagery into water health indicators with trend analysis.
  3. AlertWhen conditions cross a threshold, we get an alert for algae, vegetation or clarity changes.
  4. ActWe follow up with a site visit, water testing or algae ID and the right management action. Field feedback trains the alerts to your lake.

What you get

Your lake at a glance

  • Lake health score and alert levelA simple status for each lake, with what is driving it.
  • Early alertsNotice when algae, vegetation or clarity cross a threshold, before problems escalate.
  • Trends and seasonal comparisonsToday’s conditions in context with your lake’s own history.
  • Proof that management is workingA visual record of how conditions change after each action.
  • All your waterbodies on one mapOne view of every lake and pond you own or manage.
  • Records you can shareA documented history of conditions and actions for boards, HOAs and agencies.

Who it is for

Best on larger lakes and reservoirs

Satellite monitoring works on lakes and reservoirs of about 5 acres or more, and is most useful on large waters that site visits cannot cover often. For smaller ponds, scheduled visits and water testing are the better fit.

Large lakes and reservoirsWhole lake coverage on every clear satellite pass, on water too big to check by boat each week.
Lake associationsClear status and shared records for boards and members on large lakes.
Municipalities and agenciesVisibility across many waterbodies and documented records for compliance.
Irrigation districtsEarly warning on algae and weeds in reservoirs you depend on.

Part of your management program

Satellite monitoring pairs with scheduled visits and lab testing to keep your lake on track all season.

Annual Lake and Pond Management

Explore other related services

Water Quality Monitoring Algae ID and Cyanotoxin Analysis Sediment Analysis

Add satellite monitoring

Ask us about satellite monitoring for your lake or reservoir.

Contact us