Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Algae turns canal green
A downtown canal bloomed bright green this week with algae, prompting Fort Lauderdale officials to alert the state.
The Himmarshee Canal, which runs east/southeast starting south of Broward Boulevard and just east of U.S. 1, was marbled with a green sheen on Wednesday.
The same canal earlier this month became cloudy when a contractor ruptured a water main nearby.
It is just the latest Fort Lauderdale waterway to go green in recent weeks, state records indicate.
The state has tested other waterways and found that the algae was not at a toxic level.
State records show that algae has appeared in the past few
weeks in the south and north forks of the New River, in the water off Esplanade Park and in the Colee Hammock neighborhood downtown, and in canals off Las Olas Boulevard.
The city said it would add the Himmarshee Canal to its weekly environmental checks and said state environmental experts “will take the lead in conducting testing and analyzing samples to determine if this algal bloom presents a risk to human health.”
Algae blooms can be reported directly to the state Department of Environmental Protection by calling 855-305-3903 or online at https://floridadep.gov/ AlgalBloom.
The city said blooms can be prevented or decreased if residents:
--Avoid placing lawn fertilizer near waterways.
--Keep landscaping and lawn clippings out of waterways.
--Prevent pet waste from reaching waterways and storm drains.
Swimming near the blooms is not advised. Pets shouldn’t drink untreated water if algae is present, the city said.
Brittany Wallman can be reached at bwallman @sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4541. Find her on Twitter @BrittanyWallman.