The application of machine learning to satellite imagery is making it easier to identify areas that might contain high concentrations of cyanobacteria in smaller waterways. The open-source CyFi (Cyanobacteria Finder) Python package quickly flags the highest-risk areas of these harmful algal blooms (HABs) in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.
The Problem of HABs
HABs occur when colonies of algae (simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater) grow out of control to form blooms. These blooms can have many impacts in aquatic environments. Some blooms produce toxins that can kill fish, small mammals, and birds and can lead to human illness (or death, in extreme cases). Even nontoxic algal blooms can harm aquatic environments by using up oxygen in the water, clogging the gills of fish and invertebrates, and smothering coral and vegetation. Other blooms discolor water, can form smelly piles on beaches, and contaminate drinking water. A great resource for learning more about HABs and relevant NASA data collections is the Water Quality Data Pathfinder.