Assessing lake health using Digital Technologies
September 2025
Lakes play a vital role in the context of climate change as they act as natural carbon sinks, help mitigate climate impacts, and significantly influence the urban water ecosystem. However, many lakes are rapidly degrading or disappearing. Therefore, assessing lake health is essential to ensure that lakes continue to sequester carbon rather than become carbon emitters. At CWAS, we are leveraging digital technologies such as satellite-based remote sensing and machine learning to assess lake health, estimate their carbon sequestration potential, and analyze temporal changes that may indicate risks of lake extinction. Since lake health and carbon sequestration depend on multiple water quality parameters, traditional assessments can be complex and resource intensive. By adopting such digital approaches, we aim to provide decision-makers with scalable, data-driven insights to prioritize conservation and restoration of urban lakes, thereby reducing climatic impacts.
