Estimation of CDOM and Chlorophyll-a in high Andean Small

Lakes using Landsat satellite data.

P.E. Prado1, 3, 7*, D. Rejas1**, K. Jönsson2, C.G. Oporto3, X. Lazzaro4, M. Campero1, C.E. Fernandez1, V. Martinez5,
M. Marañón6, K.M. Persson7.
1
Unidad de Limnología y Recursos Acuáticos (ULRA). Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
2
Department of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
3
Centro de Aguas y Saneamiento Ambiental (CASA). Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
4
Observatoire Binational du Lac Titicaca (OBLT). Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Bolivia.
5
Laboratorio de Hidráulica (LH), Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
6
Centro Andino para la Gestión y Uso del Agua (Centro AGUA) - Centro de Planificación y Gestión (CEPLAG).
Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
7
Department of Building and Environmental Technology. Division of Water Resources Engineering. Lund
University, Lund, Sweden.
*p.prado@umss.edu **dannyrejas.a@fcyt.umss.edu.bo
Abstract: Climate change and human activities threaten the availability and quality of fresh water resources
globally, especially in less developed countries, where poverty and natural disaster risks are present. Despite
important research efforts, gaps still exist regarding the understanding of the spatial-temporal variations of water
quality and the movement of organic matter within tropical mountain lakes in the Bolivian central Andes. Satellite
data and remote sensing techniques have been used for the detection of key water quality constituents, and to
determine qualitative and quantitative parameters in waterbodies. However, few studies addressed the understanding
of spectral properties of small lakes and even fewer were related to Andean lakes or reservoirs. The aim of this
study was to estimate coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations (widely
used water quality indicators), using Landsat 5 satellite data, in mountain lakes (4049 to 4301 m a.s.l.) in the
Bolivian central Andes. Google Earth Engine Landsat 5, Collection 1, Tier 1, surface reflectance, atmospherically
corrected images were integrated with field data and water samples collected between September 2010 and
September 2011. Results correlations between NIR/Red and Chl-a concentrations; on the other hand, Green/NIR
correlations with CDOM concentrations. These preliminary results show the potential of this approach when
comparing and integrating water quality indicators such CDOM and Chl-a available in historical data with free
access remote sensing data to better understand high altitude mountain lakes and reservoirs in the central Andes.
Keywords: Andean lakes; water quality; remote sensing.
Monitoring water quality and early detection of degradation are priority concerns for the high
Andean lakes because of their important role as freshwater resources and ecosystem services
providers (Biggs et al., 2016). The knowledge of Andean wetlands and waterbodies, despite
important research efforts, remains incomplete, and there are gaps regarding the understanding
of the spatial-temporal variations of water quality and functioning of the organic matter flow
intralake and its relationship with other wetlands (Zedler & Kercher, 2005. Gandarillas R. et al.,
2016; Maldonado et al., 2014). Satellite data and remote sensing techniques have been used for
the detection of key water quality constituents, and to determine qualitative and quantitative
parameters in waterbodies. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) are often
used as indicators of water quality, thus several studies determined spectral indexes and
algorithms for the estimation of both Chl-a (Abdelal et al., 2022) and CDOM (as a proxy for
DOM; Chen, Zhu, Tian, & Yu, 2017) in lakes, most of them in the northern hemisphere.
However, few studies have been performed to understand the spectral properties of small lakes
(Ambrose-Igho et al., 2021), and research concerning Andean lakes is even more scarce.
Understanding the role of lakes in the global carbon cycle requires reliable estimates of DOM
and there is a great need to develop remote sensing methods to map the carbon content of lakes
at regional and global scales. Because part of DOM is optically inactive, CDOM has been
extensively studied and has been used as a predictor of DOM (Toming, Kutser, Tuvikene, et al.,
2016. Griffin et al., 2018).

The aim of this study is to estimate CDOM and Chl-a concentrations, using Landsat 5
satellite data, in small lakes of high altitude (4049 to 4301 m a.s.l.) in the central Andes. The
study was performed in the Espíritu Santo watershed inside Tunari National Park, a Natural
Protected Area in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The reservoirs and lakes represent crucial water
resources for more than one million inhabitants of the Metropolitan area of Cochabamba and
rural communities. Four lakes were studied (Fig. 1, Table 1). Sampling campaigns were
performed by Project BALSA (2010 – 2011). Water from the first meter below the surface was
filtered and then collected in separate dark glass bottles and sent to the laboratory for
chlorophyll-a and CDOM analyses. The pH, depth, temperature, electrical conductivity,
dissolved oxygen, Secchi depht, and turbidity were registered in the field. Only four sets had
complete variable data for four dates: September, 2010; April, August, and September 2011. For
these dates L5 images were selected: 27/Sep./2010; 23/Apr., 13/Ago., and 14/Sep. 2011; from
the Google Earth Engine code editor platform using scripts to mask clouds and cloud shadow,
stack bands, and download the images for the study area. Band ratios were assessed against field
data and water sampling analysis results using spatial analysis tools available in Quantum GIS
open access software.

Results show correlations with marginal significance (R2=0.67 to 0.99, p>0.05) between
NIR/Red and Chl-a concentrations and low predicted concentrations in the four lakes in
September 2010. For April 2011, just after the rainy season ended (according precipitation data
from near stations), the predicted concentration of Chl-a increased to 3 up to 12 μg l-1 in the
pelagic zones of Jatun Toro and Batea lakes, while 6 to 15 μg l-1 was found in the littoral zone of
lakes Khehuiña and Yana. For August 2011, Chl-a concentrations increased up to 12 μg l-1 in
the pelagic zones of the four lakes. Finally, September 2011, reported high concentrations of
Chl-a (9 to more than 50 μg l-1) showing chlorophyll gradients along the surface of the lakes. On
the other hand, Green/NIR show a strong and significant correlation with CDOM (R2=0.73 and
0.74 p<0.001) for September 2010 and 2011 respectively, and marginally significant correlation
(0.81 and 0.97 p>0.05) for April and August 2011. Very low predicted concentrations in Jatun
Toro and Khehuiña for September 2010, and low to moderate concentrations in Yana and Batea
Lakes. For April 2011, concentrations of CDOM increased in the four lakes indicating a
potential, positive relationship to the rainy season, which is also characterized by higher
temperatures when compared with the dry season. For August 2011, CDOM concentration
increases in Yana but decreases in the other lakes. Finally, concentrations of CDOM decrease in
the four lakes for September 2011, showing gradients along the surface of the lakes. Spatial and
temporal variations of Chl-a and CDOM could be an indicator of seasonally changes of trophic
state of the lakes according to the precipitation and nutrients flow in the system. These
preliminary results show the potential of this approach for comparing and integrating water
quality indicators such CDOM and Chl-a, among others, found in historical data available with
free access remote sensing data, to better understand and research lakes of high altitude in the
central Andes.

In order to a better understanding of the reservoirs and lakes water quality dynamics,
more detailed studies should be addressed integrating seasonal water extreme temperature and
precipitation variations, wind direction and velocity because its influence in waves and rotation
of the water column; runoff, lixiviation and reservoirs retention time, and its relation with
organic matter flow. Climate change, ENSO/LNSO, and the potential impacts in water quality
and availability, along with land use/land cover change, would degrade ecosystem services of the
delicate balance in central Andes wetlands, making necessary the planning and management with
catchment conservation approach and stakeholder participation.

Table 1 Physicochemical parameters of the lakes of study. Project BALSA (2010-2011).

Lake Lat. Long. Altitude Date Depth Temp. Chl-a CDOM
[m a.s.l.] [m] [C] [μg l-1]
24/09/2010 3.20 13.07 0.21 0.35
26/04/2011 4.00 11.99 5.64 0.51
Khehuiña -17.213591 -66.163397 4049
18/08/2011 4.50 8.64 12.53 0.90
27/09/2011 4.70 11.35 12.82 0.61
24/09/2010 26.10 8.53 0.73 0.29
Jatun 27/04/2011 26.80 10.35 1.25 0.62
Toro -17.237116 -66.172556 4186
19/08/2011 27.00 7.41 7.80 0.09
28/09/2011 28.00 7.69 2.02 0.51
24/09/2010 11.20 9.43 3.05 0.20
27/04/2011 12.10 11.41 4.56 0.96
Yana -17.241146 -66.173847 4200
19/8/2011 11.00 8.68 1.30 0.60
28/09/2011 10.70 9.67 3.16 0.50
5/10/2010 na 5.43 0.50 0.01
Batea -17.244146 -66.176242 4301 20/08/2011 na 6.68 2.31 0.70
29/09/2011 6.90 9.60 4.57 0.67

Figure 1. Geographic location of the study lakes: Khewiña, Jatun Toro, Yana and Batea.
 a) b)

Figure 2. Spatial and temporal concentration and distribution of a) Chl-a, b) CDOM, in the study lakes from September 2010 to
September 2011.

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