Water Quality Data Fusion System for Finland’s Coastal Areas and Lakes

About the project

Arbonaut supported the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) in developing an operational Data Fusion System for real‑time and historical water‑quality assessment across Finland’s coastal areas and lakes.

The system blends satellite imagery, monitoring-station measurements, and user observations into a single automated workflow. This significantly improved Finland’s ability to track events such as algal blooms and communicate findings with the public via an online portal.

Solution

  • Unified multi source data processing for clear, consistent water quality insights
  • Automated analyses enabling weekly updates and rapid detection of water quality events
  • GIS visualizations through a custom QGIS-based solution
  • Uncertainty reporting to support more transparent and reliable environmental decision-making

Arbonaut contributed to the project with:

  • Consultation on data fusion algorithms, harmonization methods, and system architecture
  • Implemented modules for data download, harmonization, fusion, and visualization
  • System testing and deployment
  • User and administrator training for long-term operational use
Algae in water monitoring
Water quality monitoring in QGIS
Results of data fusion system

Outcomes

The project delivered a robust, scalable monitoring platform that strengthened Finland’s national capacity for environmental management. SYKE gained a modern toolset for both real‑time assessment and historical re‑analysis, while the public benefited from clearer access to water-quality information.

Environmental Modelling & Software Journal, volume 155