In the summer, lakes and other freshwater sources begin to bloom more frequently with blue-green algae. If you’ve visited a lake with algae infestation, then you may already know what large amounts of flowers look like. With satellites, we can see what an algae-infested lake looks like from above and track growth in the water.
Getting a bird’s eye view of things allows you to see things from a unique perspective, and WOW, some things look different! If you love cool pictures and want to learn about algae, then you’re in luck. Take a look at this algae-infested lake from above.
What is an algal bloom?
NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens using US Geological Survey Landsat data. Caption by Kathryn Hansen., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons – License
Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, have existed for millions of years and there are over 7,500 species on Earth. Algae are typically found in freshwater sources such as lakes. Algae grow best in places with plenty of sunlight and nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in the water.
Warm temperatures, lots of sunlight and an abundance of nutrients in the water can cause algae to bloom (as you can see in the image above) and form green streaks and clouds in the water. Bloom appears all year round, but infestation can occur more quickly in the summer months.
When the blue-green algae get too out of control, as in Lake Okeechobee, be careful in the area.
What an algae infested lake looks like from space
NASA, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons – License
Above is a satellite image showing all of the algae in the infested Lake of Okeechobee. Summer temperatures and too many nutrients in the water can lead to mass formation of cyanobacteria blooms.
In July 2022, Lake Okeechobee was 45% covered with algae. The image above shows the areas of the lake with the most algae.
Large algal blooms can be seen with regular imaging. The above image tracks the algae through fluorescent light emitted by the organisms and was taken from space. NASA creates these images using light and other wavelengths to observe the algae and track how things are changing over time.
Why is blue-green algae harmful?
When blue-green algae infestations occur in lakes or other water sources, they can be extremely damaging to you and other living things in the area. Some algae produce toxins or poisons that spread through the water and harm the animals that come in contact with them. Toxic algal blooms are known to kill animals such as livestock or pets that drink the water.
Algae infested lakes with large areas of toxic bloom have dead zones. There are no lifelike fish in these areas. The toxic algae kill everything they come across, such as fish, mammals and birds in the area.
The algae also block the sun and kill plants on the seabed. Activities such as swimming and jet skiing should be discontinued to limit contact in infested lakes.
When algae start to bloom, they spread very quickly. Seeing the algae from space gives you a different perspective on the small organisms that live in the water.
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