What is that green stuff in my canal?
Late September Update DUCKWEED
In early September, there were huge blooms of duckweed in the Barracuda and Bluefish canals. Three other canals had minimal amounts of duckweed. The five western-most canals had no duckweed at all.
In response to this situation, the LIWMD board at its September 9 meeting approved to pay to have the canals sprayed for the duckweed. However, during the next ten days, while arrangements were being made for spraying, several large rain storms caused the duckweed to diminish and after a few more days, it was almost completely gone. (Thanks, Mother Nature.) We have now worked through the governmental red tape for future spraying, and if duckweed appears again next summer, LIWMD stands ready to handle it quickly and efficiently.
If you have an aquatic growth problem in your canal, please let us know right away. Best way to contact us is the "Contact Us" page on this website.
July 31 Update
On July 31, several concerned neighbors called about a green substance on the surface of the Dolphin Canal. It was possibly related to the fact that the temperatures all week were in the mid-90's and there had been no significant rain for several days. It appeared to be either pollen, algae, or some type of fine aquatic plant growth.
After taking several pictures, LIWMD contacted the City's Environmental Services Division and forwarded the pictures to them. Environmental Services dispatched an inspector the next day. He determined that it was more aquatic plant than algae or pollen. " This may be due to the large amount of rain we received last month and the following warm days causing a thermal inversion that promoted the plant growth." According to the division, such plant growth will occur due to runoff into the canals of lawn fertilizers, weed killers, animal waste, etc.
After a heavy rainstorm that evening, the substance was gone the next day.
You've probably noticed clumps of aquatic weeds, "duckweed," being more prevalent this year. This is due to all the rain, especially in July, which necessitated the opening of flood control structures in order to lower the high levels of water out west in the Everglades. We've been lucky and haven't experienced a major overgrowth of aquatic weeds for quite some time. You may rest assured that LIWMD will respond quickly to any major weed problem in our waterways.
If you see something peculiar in your canal, you can always ask Environmental Services about it, through the City's Customer Service number: 954-828-8000.
In early September, there were huge blooms of duckweed in the Barracuda and Bluefish canals. Three other canals had minimal amounts of duckweed. The five western-most canals had no duckweed at all.
In response to this situation, the LIWMD board at its September 9 meeting approved to pay to have the canals sprayed for the duckweed. However, during the next ten days, while arrangements were being made for spraying, several large rain storms caused the duckweed to diminish and after a few more days, it was almost completely gone. (Thanks, Mother Nature.) We have now worked through the governmental red tape for future spraying, and if duckweed appears again next summer, LIWMD stands ready to handle it quickly and efficiently.
If you have an aquatic growth problem in your canal, please let us know right away. Best way to contact us is the "Contact Us" page on this website.
July 31 Update
On July 31, several concerned neighbors called about a green substance on the surface of the Dolphin Canal. It was possibly related to the fact that the temperatures all week were in the mid-90's and there had been no significant rain for several days. It appeared to be either pollen, algae, or some type of fine aquatic plant growth.
After taking several pictures, LIWMD contacted the City's Environmental Services Division and forwarded the pictures to them. Environmental Services dispatched an inspector the next day. He determined that it was more aquatic plant than algae or pollen. " This may be due to the large amount of rain we received last month and the following warm days causing a thermal inversion that promoted the plant growth." According to the division, such plant growth will occur due to runoff into the canals of lawn fertilizers, weed killers, animal waste, etc.
After a heavy rainstorm that evening, the substance was gone the next day.
You've probably noticed clumps of aquatic weeds, "duckweed," being more prevalent this year. This is due to all the rain, especially in July, which necessitated the opening of flood control structures in order to lower the high levels of water out west in the Everglades. We've been lucky and haven't experienced a major overgrowth of aquatic weeds for quite some time. You may rest assured that LIWMD will respond quickly to any major weed problem in our waterways.
If you see something peculiar in your canal, you can always ask Environmental Services about it, through the City's Customer Service number: 954-828-8000.
Another picture of the green substance on the Dolphin Canal, July 31.