Since the ACOE and SFWMD have yet to develop public satellite imagery of algal bloom development in Lake Okeechobee with NOAA during rainy season, I go to my brother Todd. Ever since we were kids, he’s loved science and technology.

I have been bugging him lately for a satellite image…

6-4-18, Jacqui : Todd do you know when last high-resolution satellite photograph was taken of lake o and how to access this photo? Thank you. 

6-4-18 Todd: Should have been a Landsat 8 image on 5/21 but it is not available for some reason. The Landsat 7 image from 5/29 is so bad because of the broken instrument that is not usable. Preview here, I would have to “order” high res but not worth it.

6-5-18 Jacqui : Thanks Todd

6-6-18, Todd: Hey Jac, the European sentinel-2 satellite took a good image yesterday. I will post it to my page tonight and add sentinel to the Landsat folder. It doesn’t show anything though. The sentinel-3 satellite took an interesting chlorophyll wavelength shot showing returns in the southern lake. However, it doesn’t seem terribly accurate because the returns over time have been all over the place. I will have to study more up on those types of images.

6-6-18, Jacqui: Well thanks Todd, thankfully that must mean at least for these images the algae is not so much that it’s visible to the satellite in space but we know some is there from 1st hand. This is good news for now. Can we keep getting images? Why ACOE and SFWMD don’t have and report on regularly is ridiculous.

6-6-18, Todd: …..

6-7-18 Jacqui: Hey Todd, the Terra image that is in today do you think that is algae or a cloud east of FPL Pond? Know hard to tell w/lower res.

Todd and I will keep you posted.

For more, go to Todd’s website, look for Firm Favorites; St Lucie River Discharges;  Latest Lake O Satellite Imagery:http://www.thurlowpa.com