The DiMark project was presented on 24 June 2026 during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Carinthian Institute for Lake Research in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria.
Rainer Kurmayer from the University of Innsbruck presented how remote sensing methods can complement traditional field sampling and support more effective monitoring of lakes.
Within DiMark, monitoring data collected between 2015 and 2024 for 18 Austrian lakes have been organised in a joint database. In-situ measurements, including chlorophyll-a, Secchi depth and water temperature, are being compared with data from the Sentinel-3 satellite. High-resolution Sentinel-2 data are also being used to analyse smaller lakes.
Initial results from Lake Mondsee, Lake Constance and several smaller water bodies demonstrate the added value of satellite-based monitoring. Satellite observations can provide frequent information on the spatial distribution of algal blooms and help identify areas where additional field sampling may be needed.
Combining satellite observations with field measurements can improve our understanding of rapidly changing freshwater ecosystems and support timely, evidence-based water management.
