Understanding the Condition of Africa’s Water Bodies

The Digital Earth Africa Water Quality Monitoring Service delivers harmonised, satellite-derived water quality information for lakes, dams and reservoirs across the African continent. Building on the Waterbodies Monitoring Service, which maps the extent and dynamics of more than 700,000 water bodies, the Water Quality Monitoring Service advances from identifying where water is, to understanding what condition it is in.

Using a sensor-agnostic approach that integrates multiple satellite missions and published water quality algorithms, the service provides consistent, comparable data from 2000 to the present at 10 metre spatial resolution.

Hartbeespoort Dam, overlaid with the Floating Algae Index (FAI) from the Water Quality Monitoring Service (WQMS), representing the detection of algae blooms and aquatic weeds for its typical state during 2017.

Caraterísticas principais

Multi-Decadal Baseline

Annual continental water quality characterisation from 2000 to 2024 at 10 metre spatial resolution, establishing a long-term record for understanding change in condition over time.

Comprehensive Water Quality Indicators

The service describes key water quality parameters including water surface temperature, water colour, optical water type, floating algae and algal bloom indicators, trophic state (generalised chlorophyll-a levels), and turbidity.

Sensor-Agnostic, Multi-Mission Approach

By integrating data from multiple satellite missions using published algorithms, the service maximises data availability and ensures continuity and consistency through time.

Configurable Alerts — coming soon

Future phases will introduce alert functionality to notify users when defined water quality thresholds are exceeded for specific water bodies.

Access the Service

The Water Quality Monitoring Service is accessible through multiple DE Africa platforms:

Mapa de África da Digital Earth

Ver mapa de África do Digital Earth

Data Catalogue

View Digital Earth Africa Data Catalogue

Guia do utilizador

View Digital Earth Africa User Guide

Sandbox and Notebook

Introduction to the Digital Earth Africa Water Quality Monitoring Service Applications of the Water Quality Monitoring Service Time Series Monitoring of Turbidity

Applications of the Water Quality Monitoring Service

The Water Quality Monitoring Service is designed to support water resource management authorities, environmental monitoring agencies, and government departments across Africa. It also informs the public health sector and agricultural activities including livestock and fisheries where water quality conditions are critical yet information is scarce.

Aplicações

Water Resource Management

Provides resource managers and government departments with regularly updated, standardised information on the condition of surface water bodies, supporting planning and operational decision-making.

Environmental Monitoring and SDG Reporting

Directly supports national reporting against SDG Indicator 6.6.1, which tracks changes in water-related ecosystems over time, offering transparent, higher-resolution approaches adaptable to national contexts.

Public Health and Agricultural Planning

In extreme cases, harmful algal blooms and cyanobacteria pose direct risks to human and animal health. The service enables early identification of conditions associated with these risks, informing public health responses and agricultural water use decisions.

Long-Term Trend Analysis

A multi-decadal baseline from 2000 enables governments and institutions to understand long-term water quality trends, assess the impact of climate variability and land use change, and shift from reactive responses to proactive, evidence-based management.