Modernizing Vermont’s Cyanobacteria Tracking Program

The Cyanobacteria Tracking Program in Vermont is a collaborative effort between the Departments of Health (VDH) and Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Lake Champlain Committee. Since 2003, trained volunteers, staff, and citizens have regularly monitored Vermont’s bays, lakes, and ponds during the cyanobacteria season. This crucial information is shared with the public through the state’s Cyanobacteria Tracker Map. In 2024, with new FME Flow licensing, the VDH GIS and Data Viz team overhauled a critical component: real-time data synchronization and the notification system. Using FME Flow, we can now monitor reports in near real-time, alert staff of new blooms, and flag potential errors in the data.

Several enhancements have also been implemented this season. We can now monitor blooms near drinking water intakes and notify DEC staff. Another exciting enhancement is the integration with our Cooling Sites map, an interactive tool that helps the public find places to cool down on hot days. This map features cool indoor locations and parks with swimming access. However, some beaches may be closed due to blooms or elevated E. coli levels. Thanks to FME, we can now integrate these key pieces of information and update our Cooling Sites map with beach closure information in real-time. FME has made this real-time data integration not only possible but also easy to implement and manage. We are excited to continue modernizing our data systems using FME.