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Water quality assessment using Sentinel-2 imagery with estimates of chlorophyll a, Secchi disk depth, and Cyanobacteria cell number: the Cantareira System reservoirs (São Paulo, Brazil)

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Abstract

Satellite images were used to assess surface water quality based on the concentration of chlorophyll a (chla), light penetration measured by the Secchi disk method (SD), and the Cyanobacteria cells number per mL (cyano). For this case study, six reservoirs interconnected were evaluated, comprising the Cantareira System (CS) in São Paulo State (Brazil). The work employed Sentinel-2 images from 2015 to 2018, SNAP image processing software, and the native products conc_chl and kd_z90max, treated using Case 2 Regional Coast Color (C2RCC) atmospheric correction. The database was obtained from CETESB, the agency legally responsible for operation of the Inland Water Quality Monitoring Network in São Paulo State. The results demonstrated robustness in the estimates of chla (RMSE = 3.73; NRMSE% = 19%) and SD (RMSE = 2,26; NRMSE% = 14%). Due to the strong relationship between cyano and chla (r2 = 0.84, p < 0.01, n = 90), both obtained from field measurements, there was also robustness in cyano estimates based on the estimates of chla from the satellite images. The data revealed a clear pattern, with the upstream reservoirs being more eutrophic, compared to those downstream. There were evident concerns, about water quality, particularly due to the high numbers of Cyanobacteria cells, especially in the upstream reservoirs.

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Data Availability

The datasets analyzed during the current study are available in the São Paulo environmental agency website, CETESB repository: https://cetesb.sp.gov.br/aguas-390interiores/publicacoes-e-relatorios/

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Funding

The authors are grateful for support provided by the Brazilian agencies FAPESP (processes 2019/10845-4, 2016/24528-2, and 2016/17266-1) and CNPq (301928/2019-3, 400305/2016-0, and 303660/2016-3), and by Valencia University, Campus of Burjasot (Valencia, Spain) (INV18-01-15-03).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marcelo Pompêo & Marisa Dantas Bitencourt

  2. University of São Paulo State (UNESP), ICT, Sorocaba Campus, Sorocaba, Brazil

    Viviane Moschini-Carlos

  3. Department of Microbiology and Ecology, University of Valencia, Burjassot Campus, Burjassot, Spain

    Xavier Sòria-Perpinyà & Eduardo Vicente

  4. Image Processing Laboratory, University of Valencia, Paterna Campus, Paterna, Spain

    Jesus Delegido

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  1. Marcelo Pompêo
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  2. Viviane Moschini-Carlos
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  3. Marisa Dantas Bitencourt
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  4. Xavier Sòria-Perpinyà
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  5. Eduardo Vicente
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the design of this study, as follows: Marcelo Pompêo: writing original draft, formal analysis, funding acquisition; Viviane Moschini-Carlos: formal analysis, writing review; Marisa Dantas Bitencourt: formal analysis; Xavier Sòria-Perpinyà: formal analysis, writing review; Eduardo Vicente: formal analysis, writing review; Jesus Delegido: formal analysis, writing review. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript and read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Marcelo Pompêo.

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Pompêo, M., Moschini-Carlos, V., Bitencourt, M.D. et al. Water quality assessment using Sentinel-2 imagery with estimates of chlorophyll a, Secchi disk depth, and Cyanobacteria cell number: the Cantareira System reservoirs (São Paulo, Brazil). Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 34990–35011 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12975-x

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