Mapping Lake Arlington Water Quality Parameters (Chlorophyll-a, Phycocyanin, and Turbidity) at a Regional Scale Integrating Sentinel-2 (S2) Observations with ArcGIS Pro

Inland lakes and reservoirs play a vital role as providers of ecological, environmental, and hydrological advantages to humanity. It is, therefore, essential to safeguard these invaluable resources by monitoring the water quality on a regular basis. Monitoring water quality serves as a key defense against the spread of diseases and pollutants that pose harm to both the environment and human well-being. Typically, water quality analysis is performed in laboratories, often relying on specialized high-cost equipment and skilled professionals. Due to the scarcity of resources for conventional in situ monitoring of the waterbodies covering large geographic locations, often result in reactive responses to outbursts of harmful algal bloom (HAB). Leveraging remote sensing methodologies, specifically relying on Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3, provides an effective alternative. HAB indicators present a cost-effective solution to traditional methods and have been proven to maximize and complement current field-based approaches while offering a comprehensive view on water quality. In our effort to assist in better water quality management for Lake Arlington, Arlington, Texas, we utilized the ESRI water quality toolbox in ArcGIS Pro. This method enables the detection, monitoring, and quantification of HAB indicators (chlorophyll-a, phycocyanin, and turbidity) using Sentinel-2 imagery. Finally, to gauge a correlation between the relative water quality index values and field-based observations obtained from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Data, linear regression analysis was applied. The results of our analysis reveal a robust R-squared value of 0.89, affirming the effectiveness and reliability of the chosen methodology.