Landsat 8 Image of Lake Thompson in South Dakota

Detailed Description
Landsat 8 image of Lake Thompson in South Dakota, showing a November algal bloom.
Image date: November 22, 2024
Path 30, Row 29
Band combinations: 654 (false color) to show the algal bloom, and then blended with 432 (natural color) to show the snow.
Lake Thompson, located in Kingsbury County, South Dakota, about 32 miles (52 kilometers) west of Brookings, is the largest natural waterbody in the state. In recent decades, runoff from nearby agricultural operations has led to nutrient enrichment and water quality issues. The excess nutrients have contributed to algal blooms, which typically grow during the warm summer and early fall months. Yet, this year, algal blooms occurred well into the month of November after snow had fallen in the region. While this occurrence might seem unusual, recent peer-reviewed research conducted through the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) has shown that cyanobacterial blooms can also happen in cooler and cold conditions.
Lake Thompson Earthshots: https://eros.usgs.gov/earthshots/lake-thompson-south-dakota-usa
Reference:
Reinl, K. L., Harris, T. D., North, R. L., Almela, P., Berger, S. A., Bizic, M., Burnet, S. H., Grossart, H.-P., Ibelings, B. W., Jakobsson, E., Knoll, L. B., Lafrancois, B. M., McElarney, Y., Morales-Williams, A. M., Obertegger, U., Ogashawara, I., Paule-Mercado, M. C., Peierls, B. L., Rusak, J. A., … Yokota, K. (2023). Blooms also like it cold. Limnology and Oceanography Letters, 8(4), 546–564. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10316
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.