NWDTW_2026

An Innovative, Tiered, Multi‑Platform Framework for High‑Resolution Water‑Quality Monitoring and Mapping (NWDTW 2026)

Theresa Armijo, Hydrologic Technician, Colorado Water Science Center
Matt Burgess, Geographer, National Uncrewed Systems Office
Matt Gyves, Physical Scientist, Pennsylvania Water Science Center
Tyler King, Research Hydrologist, Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch

Effective assessment of water-quality conditions requires strategies that capture spatial and temporal variability and complexities of biogeochemical processes. In this talk we present and seek feedback on a tiered, multi-platform monitoring framework that integrates satellite observations, Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS)-based hyperspectral imaging, boat-based discrete sampling, in-situ water-quality measurements, and micro-sized autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs; Jaia Robotics JaiaBot BIO) measurements. Together, these platforms form a scalable and adaptive system for characterizing water-quality dynamics across broad spatial and temporal scales.
This approach will be piloted in August 2026 to characterize conditions in two Colorado reservoirs affected by harmful algal blooms (HABs). Integrating sampling and monitoring technologies within a tiered and multi-platform framework enhances the resolution of water-quality assessments and supports early event detection. This allows for targeted sampling campaigns, and improved mapping of spatially complex environments—including reservoirs, river networks, and estuarine systems.
The multi-platform framework provides an efficient path toward cost-effective, repeatable monitoring, scalable and transferable platforms that can be tailored to diverse management objectives such as site-specific studies to basin-wide or regional initiatives. With this approach, we aim to characterize conditions at increasingly fine resolution.

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