e-shape: EO based phytoplankton biomass for WFD reporting

Moving away from a data-centric approach to a user-driven era

e-shape is a unique initiative that brings together decades of public investment in Earth Observation and in cloud capabilities into services for the decision-makers, the citizens, the industry and the researchers.

It allows Europe to position itself as global force in Earth observation through leveraging Copernicus, making use of existing European capacities and improving user uptake of the data from GEO assets.

EuroGEO, as Europe's contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), aims at bringing together Earth Observation resources in Europe.

27 cloud-based pilot applications under 7 thematic areas address societal challenges, foster entrepreneurship and support sustainable development, in alignment to the three main priorities of GEO (SDGs, Paris Agreement and Sendaï Framework).

More about e-shape: https://e-shape.eu/index.php

Water Insight leads e-shape Pilot 5.6: EO based phytoplankton biomass for WFD reporting

A good water quality is the base of a healthy ecosystem with rich biodiversity. Aquatic ecosystems also provide essential services for drinking water, irrigation, recreation, aquaculture and fisheries. The EU Water Framework Directive recognizes this and requires member states to monitor and, if necessary, improve water quality. Although the spatial component is key to gain insight in the processes in water, regular sample-based monitoring only provides point data.

The use of earth observation (EO) data for contributing to this purpose was promoted by the H2020 EOMORES and CoastObs white paper 'Satellite-assisted monitoring of water quality to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive'. To generate further recognition and support for EO based products in the scope of the WFD at political, administrative and management levels, WFD ecological status maps of phytoplankton biomass based on EO data will be provided, thereby adjusting to local water types and WFD threshold differences. WFD ecological status products of phytoplankton biomass will initially be provided for lake Peipsi, Lake Võrtsjärv, and Lake Lauwersmeer, with a potential to roll out the approach to a European coverage.

Objectives:

• Provide WFD ecological status products of phytoplankton biomass for management of selected water bodies, based on Chlorophyll-a concentrations derived from EO data
• Rolling out the approach as a larger-scale service with a potential of a European coverage, thereby adjusting to local water types and WFD threshold differences
• Generate recognition and support for EO based products in the scope of the WFD at political, administrative and management levels
• Push towards the recommendations as formulated in the white paper 'Satellite-assisted monitoring of water quality to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive'

Key users:

• Eesti Maaülikool (Center for Limnological research, Estonia)
• Waterschap Noorderzijlvest (local water authority, Netherlands)

Success stories, downloads, and more

Success story about the pilot in the Netherlands (link) (download it to zoom)

Success story about the pilot in Estonia (link) (download it to zoom)

Sample data download: https://zenodo.org/records/701...

More: https://e-shape.eu/index.php/s...

The e-shape project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 820852