Monitoring Algal Blooms in Alberta’s Lakes: Introducing Algalbloomtracker.ca

It's Our Nature to Know Webinar: Monitoring Algal Blooms in Alberta’s Lakes: Introducing Algalbloomtracker.ca and the Science Behind It Algalbloomtracker.ca is a free and user-friendly online harmful algal bloom (HAB) tracker dedicated to monitoring Alberta lakes. Cyanobacteria outbreaks can have serious impacts on Alberta’s environment, tourism and recreation industries, human and pet health, and the broader economy. Funded by Alberta Innovates and Alberta Primary and Preventative Health Services and developed through a pilot project with twelve provincial partners this comprehensive tool enables users to visualize and track harmful algal blooms in near real time in six popular recreational lakes—Ethel Lake, Lac La Biche, Sylvan Lake, Nakamun Lake, Pigeon Lake, and Wabamun Lake. This is an inside look at the science behind algalbloomtracker.ca, including remote sensing technology, Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, lake sampling, as well as comprehensive analysis and validation. The webinar features a live demonstration of the platform highlighting key features such as near real-time tracking of algal blooms and recent season trends. Presented By: Bradley Peter, Executive Director, Alberta Lake Management Jennifer Hird, Lead Scientist, Earth Observation Insights Unit, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute