ERDC/EL TR-11-13 "Remote Sensing for Inland Water Quality Monitoring: A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Perspective"

Many agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are responsible for ensuring that national water quality standards are met. The Corps manages and monitors water quality of all waters within Corps jurisdictions outlined in Water Quality Management Plans, including traditional field sampling (water, sediment, and biological) and measurement of physical parameters. However, these traditional approaches can be labor-intensive and expensive, often providing discrete data at a single point in space and time and making it difficult to characterize a larger waterbody. During the last three decades, remote sensing has experienced an increasing role in water quality studies, largely due to technological advances, including instrument/sensor and algorithm/image processing improvements. The primary strength of remote sensing over traditional techniques includes the ability to provide a synoptic view of water quality for more effective monitoring of spatial and temporal variation. In addition, remote sensing offers capabilities for viewing water quality in multiple waterbodies over a large region at one time, a more comprehensive historical record or trend analysis, a planning tool for prioritizing field surveying and sampling, and accurate estimations of optically active constituents used to characterize water quality. Furthermore, when utilized in water quality management planning, remote sensing can help reduce costs through minimizing and targeting the collection and processing of thousands of water samples. Although the technology is still emerging, there is abundant evidence of the usefulness of remote sensing in water quality management and monitoring. This report examines a variety of remote sensing-related studies in which a suite of capabilities are presented. It is intended to serve as a guide for determining how remote sensing can complement and enhance traditional water quality monitoring and the appropriate level of remote sensing to incorporate in a management plan. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents. DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN NO LONGER NEEDED. DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE ORIGINATOR. ERDC/EL TR-11-13 iii