Detection of algal blooms in a eutrophic reservoir based on chlorophyll-a time series data from MODIS

Eutrophication is a phenomenon that affects many water bodies around the world. In severe cases, eutrophication can lead to large algal blooms. This study presents a method to detect algae blooms based on a time series of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration in the period 2001-2014. This time series is obtained from a semi-empirical algorithm generated with MODIS satellite data and in situ data from the Ministry of Water Resources of Cordoba Province. By detecting algae bloom dates and their statistic characterization, it is possible to define the range of Chl-a values in which the San Roque Dam is going through a bloom event.