Workgroup develops recommendations for statewide HABs monitoring strategy

A workgroup tasked with developing a statewide strategy for monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater environments has reached consensus on how California should enhance existing its HABs monitoring infrastructure.

During three meetings in January and February that were facilitated by SCCWRP, the workgroup recommended that California should focus on expanding remote sensing capabilities, including a statewide HABs satellite imagery analysis tool developed by the San Francisco Estuary Institute.

The need for a freshwater HABs monitoring program was articulated in a 2016 HABs strategy report co-authored by SCCWRP.

The workgroup’s recommendations will be incorporated into a HABs monitoring strategy report scheduled to be published this summer.