WRC Home > Publications

Technical Report Number 146

Lake Water Quality Image Processing Protocol for Regional Assessments

L. G. Olmanson, S. M. Kloiber, M. E. Bauer, P. L. Brezonik

 

Full Report (pdf, 1.10 MB)

 

Abstract

This report describes the methods for applying Landsat imagery to regional-scale assessment of lake water quality. The methods were developed from work initiated by Olmanson (1997) and continued in three subsequent studies conducted by the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center and Remote Sensing Laboratory.

This protocol is intended as a technical guide for image-processing analysts working on regional lake water quality mapping. The image processing procedures were developed specifically for Minnesota, but with appropriate modifications to reflect local programmatic interests and pre-existing geographic information and other data sources these procedures should work equally well for other regions. Because the protocol is written for image analysts performing image classification, as well as others involved in similar projects, it focuses on "how-to" technical procedures for image processing. Therefore, it includes references to specific ERDAS Imagine and ArcView commands and processes.