Water Quality | NOAA CoastWatch & OceanWatch

CoastWatch/OceanWatch satellite data that are utilized for water quality monitoring and forecasting include ocean color, sea surface temperature, synthetic aperture radar and true color.

Ocean color is used to analyze and identify water clarity, Chlorophyll-a (as an indicator of phytoplankton biomass), algal blooms, aquatic vegetation, bottom substrate, suspended sediments and colored dissolved organic matter.

Sea surface temperature is utilized for forecasting biological occurrences of concern such as harmful algal blooms and infections diseases.

Synthetic aperture radar is typically used to detect surface oil slicks with true color imagery providing support for discriminating between surface oil slicks and floating algae.

Temperature Climate Indicators of Estuaries

Updated: July 11, 2019

The National Estuary Program identifies, protects, and conserves water quality for ecologically significant estuaries and surrounding watersheds. The National Estuary Program uses Sea Surface Temperature time series products produced by the NOAA CoastWatch East Coast Node for estuary management.

Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Forecasting in the Gulf of Mexico

Updated: February 15, 2019

NOAA's National Ocean Service uses Coast Watch ocean color data along with cell counts and other environmental information to produce a Harmful Algal Blooms Observing System (HABSOS) and a Harmful Algal Bloom Operational Forecast System (HAB-OFS).