Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID LA_2023_Deng

Forecasting harmful algal blooms in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana

Institute: Louisiana
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2023-09-01 End Date: 2024-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $19,533 Total Non-Federal Funds: $19,587

Principal Investigators: Zhiqiang Deng

Project Summary: Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become a growing threat to the environment, economy, communities (particularly those living around Lake Pontchartrain), and human and animal health due to lack of efficient and effective management tools for proactive response. The proposed project aims to develop a HAB management tool for the Pontchartrain Conservancy and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality through the development of a satellite remote sensing-assisted, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based model with sufficient lead-time for forecasting the occurrence of HABs. The HAB forecasts from the proposed AI model would enable water quality monitoring programs to achieve a paradigm shift of HAB management from primarily reacting to HAB incidents after they have occurred to making timely decisions on intervening potentially implicated waters prior to HAB outbreaks, preventing HAB-related human health problems and thus protecting public health. In addition, the project provides research and educational training opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students.