Canal flows serene
but it’s looking rather green.
Toxic algae - bad!
but it’s looking rather green.
Toxic algae - bad!
Blue-green algae, technically known as cyanobacteria, is a collection of microscopic organisms that are naturally present in lakes and streams. Under certain conditions, blue-green algae can become abundant in warm, shallow, undisturbed, nutrient-rich surface waters that receive a lot of sunlight. The blooms can double in size every seven to ten days. It is rapidly spreading in the Leeds-Liverpool Canal over quite a wide area. Not only does it look unsightly (like pea soup!) but it's also highly toxic to dogs (and humans if you come into close contact with it). Nasty stuff. It probably won't go away until we have more rain and colder conditions.
Unfortunately it is also harmful to swans, ducks, other waterbirds and to fish - potentially bad news for the family of swans that live around Saltaire. I hope they have the sense to decamp to the nearby river, which isn't affected.
So much depends on a healthy balance of sunshine and rain, warmer and cooler days.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, we have seen some of this same algae in the Nashua River by our apt home.
ReplyDeleteSad to see.
ReplyDeleteScary stuff! I believe there's a vaccine against it for dogs.
ReplyDelete