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2022

A Workshop on Monitoring: Remote Sensing Training and Long-Term Monitoring Strategy

An IEEE - Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society-funded program facilitated by Rochester Institute of Technology, the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization, and
the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education

October 28th-29th, 2022

Kisumu, Kenya, East Africa

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO), and African Center for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE) are participating in a Society of the IEEE - Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (IEEE-GRSS)-funded workshop aimed at enhancing monitoring capacity in the African Great Lakes region. The workshop will focus on large lake monitoring using remote sensing technology.

The program invites experts from the ten riparian countries of the African Great Lakes to participate in a short workshop to better understand remote sensing as a technology for monitoring various metrics on lakes.

Workshop Background & Importance

The African Great Lakes provide important ecosystem services to the communities adjacent to the lakes. Among the most important services are fisheries, as a source of protein and a component of food security, and the use of water for drinking and industry. Lake managers need information on lake water status to maintain the fisheries and water quality in the face of increasing demands and threats. Traditional lake sampling from boats can provide researchers with very accurate information, but only at the sample locations. The practical limitations of cost and time prevent traditional sampling from a boat from giving a complete view of large lakes over time and space. Remote sensing can allow researchers and managers to have an expanded view of lake conditions over time and space. In the last few decades, the development of earth observation sensors flying on satellite, aircraft, or drones has enabled new detailed understanding of processes over time and across large lakes, such as water circulation and biological productivity. But making the most of this image sensor data still requires capacity development for the African Great Lakes region.

This workshop is motivated by the need to boost remote sensing as a tool within a larger need for long-term monitoring of the African Great Lakes. Remote sensing can provide monitoring data on lake water conditions such as temperature, turbidity, and algae abundance, depending on the type of sensor used to capture the image data. This workshop provided African Great Lakes experts the opportunity to acquire fundamental knowledge of remote sensing techniques for lake water quality, learn about sensors used on the lake to validate remote sensing measurements, and strengthen the network of researchers with interests in applying remote sensing to the African Great Lakes.

Workshop Agenda

Wednesday October 26

Various times: Arrival of participants

Thursday October 27

0800-0900 Welcome and introduction

0900-0945 Overview of monitoring program and discussion

0945-1015 Introduction to remote sensing of water quality

1015-1030 Break

1030-1300 Practical: aquatic optics field measurements

1300-1400 Lunch

1400-1415 Why join GRSS

1415-1630 Practical: aquatic optics field measurements

1630-1900 Dinner

1900-2100 Networking social at the hotel

Friday October 28

0800-0900 Breakfast

0900-0930 Introduction to remote sensing water quality algorithms

0930-1030 Part 1: Introduction to Google Earth Engine

1030-1045 Break

1045-1300 Part 2: Time-series and Algal Blooms in Winam Gulf

1300-1400 Lunch

1400-1630 Part 3: Algal Blooms in Lake Victoria

1630-1900 Dinner and certificates, closing

1900-2100 Networking social at the hotel

Saturday October 29

Various times: Departure of participants

Who is involved

Participants

The participants of this workshop are freshwater and large lake experts from the ten riparian countries of the African Great Lakes. The training on remote sensing is to engage the experts in a different approach to monitoring on the lakes, to gain their perspectives on how such technology might be implemented, and to help create a larger, long-term monitoring program (using remote sensing and other technologies) around the African Great Lakes.

Naftaly Mwirigi, Assistant Research Scientist, KMFRI
Winnie Owoko, Assistant Research Scientist, KMFRI
Diane Umutoni, Conservation and Research Assistant, Akagera Management Company
Grite Nelson, Lecturer and Researcher, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
Alfred Achieng, Lecturer and Researcher, University of Eldoret
Deogratias Nahayo, Lecturer and Researcher, University of Rwanda
Simon Buhungu, Lecturer and Researcher, University of Burundi
William Okello, Programme Leader/Principal Research Officer, Fish Habitat Management Programme, NaFIRRI
Lloyid Haambiya, Fisheries Officer, Mpulungu’s Lake Tanganyika Research Unit, Frankfurt Zoological Society
Charles Amon Mashafi, Senior Research Scientist, Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute
Priscah Mziray, Senior Research Scientist, Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute
Alice Hamisi, Fishesries Officer, Kenya Fisheries Services
Atuhaire Christine, Graduate Student, Makerere University
Kenneth Ronoh, Graduate Student, Pi Global Institute-Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science & Technology
William Emitaro, Graduate Student, SBPMAS-Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Sciemce & Technology
Peter Maluki Samburu, Graduate Student, SSPNRM-Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Sciemce & Technology
Vincent Ogembo, Graduate Student, SSPNRM-Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Sciemce & Technology
Maxon Ngochera, Chief Fisheries Research Officer Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change, and Officer in charge at the Monkey Bay Capture Fisheries Centre in Mangochi, Malawi
Jacob Iteba, Fisheries Officer, Busia County, Dept. of Fisheries, Busia County Government
Jack Abibo Adem, Graduate Student, SSPNRM-Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Sciemce & Technology
Emmanuel Natalis, Principal Database Administrator, Uganda, Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization
Sharon Awuor Miniga, Intern, Chemistry Laboratory, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), Kisumu-Kenya.

Trainers

The trainers are familiar with remote sensing technology and approaches on global water resources and hope to assist, with the perspectives and expertise of the participants, in implementing this technology in hopes to increase long-term monitoring of the African Great Lakes.

Dr. Tony Vodacek - Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA
Dr. Pierre-Denis Plisnier - African Center for Aquatic Research & Education, Belgium
Davide Lomeo - King's College London, London, United Kingdom
Dr. Shungudzemwoyo Garaba - University of Oldenburg, Germany
Steve Otieno - RCMRD, Nairobi, Kenya

Advisors-Support

The advisors of this workshop are experts from the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education. They are ensuring the workshop takes place by ensuring the appropriate global experts come together.

Dr. Ted Lawrence - African Center for Aquatic Research and Education, USA
Zeph Migeni - African Center for Aquatic Research and Education, Kenya

Workshop Resources and Assignments

Assignment 1: Participants of the workshop must take the following survey by September 28th, midnight EAT:

Assignment 2: Registration

a. Obtain a Gmail Account. If you do not already have a Gmail account

b. Obtain a Google Earth Engine account

c. Access Google Drive and become familiar with it

Click here for Assignment 2

Assignment 3: Google Earth Engine Walkthrough

It is important that participants complete Assignment 3 before Assignment 4.

Click here for Assignment 3

Assignment 4: On-line Remote Sensing Training Modules

The following activities will be accomplished through the NASA Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET) website.

Activity 1: ARSET - Fundamentals of Remote Sensing

This online training is an introduction to remote sensing. You are requested to go through two of the training sessions for this topic.

Session 1: Fundamentals of Remote Sensing. This session requires registration. Please try and finish this session in one sitting, or you may have to re-register.

Session 2: Fundamentals of Aquatic Remote Sensing.

Click here for this session

Activity 2: ARSET - Using Google Earth Engine for Land Monitoring Applications

This online training is an introduction to remote sensing for land monitoring.

Click here for this activity

Activity 3: ARSET - Remote Sensing of Harmful Algal Blooms

This online training is an introduction to remote sensing of harmful algal blooms. You are requested to go through sessions 1 and 2 of the training to learn more about harmful algal blooms and how to monitor these blooms with remote sensing.

Session 1: Overview of Harmful Algal Blooms.

Session 2: Platforms and Sensors for Ocean Observations, Data Access, and Processing Tools.

Click here for this session

NOTE: You can follow many more trainings on multiple remote sensing topics and the fundamentals of remote sensing at the ARSET Home Page: ARSET - Home Page.

Partners and Contacts

Co-host and Training