Idaho Matters

Tracking harmful algal blooms with satellites

Some scientists have started using satellites to keep a better eye on algae blooms.

Broadcast on:: 13 Nov 2023

A man on a dock scoops up greenish water into a water bottle. — Before heading back to Boise, Tyler King snagged a water sample full of what he thought could be cyanobacteria with his personal water bottle.( Murphy Woodhouse)

Harmful algal blooms are a major problem in water bodies across our region. Detecting them can be complicated. Using the power of satellites, researchers in Idaho have developed a tool that could make detection more efficient – not just there, but across the West. The Mountain West News Bureau’s Murphy Woodhouse tells us more.