Stormwater, Salinity, and Seagrass: Remote Sensing in Florida’s Biscayne Bay

EarthzineDevelop Summer 2017

This article is a part of the NASA DEVELOP’s Summer 2017 Virtual Poster Session. For more articles like these, click here

Project Team: Miami Beach Water Resources
Team Location: NASA Langley Research Center – Hampton, Virginia
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Authors:
Pamela Kanu
Danielle Quick
Randolph Colby

Mentors/Advisors:
Dr. Kenton Ross (NASA Langley Research Center)

T. Dogliotti turbidity output from ACOLITE based on Landsat 8 OLI image from Oct. 22, 2016. Image Credit: Miami Beach Water Resources Team

Abstract:
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) is an important component of coastal ecosystems, and is vulnerable to increased turbidity in the water column. It provides stability and protection to sediment deposits, and offers food and shelter to economically valuable species of marine life. Recent urban development and population growth in the Miami area have resulted in an increase in stormwater discharge connected to changing water quality in Biscayne Bay. The project used Earth observation data from a suite of sensors including Landsat 8 OLI, Landsat 7 ETM+, Landsat 5 TM, and Sentinel-2 MSI in conjunction with in situ water quality monitoring data. Turbidity, chlorophyll-a concentration, Normalized Difference Turbidity Index (NDTI), absorbance due to dissolved and non-algal detrital material (ADG), and Total Suspended Matter (TSM) data were used to develop a tool to view both historic and current water quality parameters in Biscayne Bay. The results of this project will assist the City of Miami Beach Public Works Department in decision-making and predicting future water quality trends in Biscayne Bay and the surrounding area.

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