Green Slime
 

Anyone know what is causing the large amount of green slime showing up in large patches this year. Is the warm water encouraging algae growth?

Location?
 

It's a big lake and water chemistry can vary. No awareness of algae at our place (Welch Island, facing the Broads.) Are you talking about open water or a cove? How many of your neighbors have lawns? Faulty septic? None in my neighborhood.

If you are referring to the blobs of green algae looking stuff that floats under the water I notice it every year about this time. I think it grows/happens when the water temp reaches a certain point. It is probably not as prevalent in the open water of the broads.

Cyano bacteria?

green slime
 

Yes, most likely Cyanobacteria as blooms are very common at this time of year due to lake temps. These microbes are toxic to man and animals if ingested since they produce toxins which attack the brain. Just Google for a wealth of info.

If it is cyanobacteria it should be reported. See this from a state website:

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divis...ents/cyano.pdf


http://des.nh.gov/organization/commi...o_id_flyer.pdf

Or could just be the normal green algae that always comes up around this time of the year kind of floating in the water column?

It's more than likely Spirogyra Algae.

Unless the water is turning into pea soup it's not cyanobacteria.

http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/bg_algae/photos.aspx

Scroll to the bottom for pictorial examples of Spirogyra Algae.

Yup, thats' it. Spirogyra Algae
TXS

Yesterday I was forced of plane by crazy drivers off Chase Point #49 marker. When we got down to headway speed I was shocked to see the large algae blooms floating between 1 and 3 feet of the surface. These were large, ranging is size from a large beach ball to 7 or 8 beach balls in size. I bet I saw 15 or 20 these. They were kind of an olive green in color. I have never seen these out in open water before.

AKA Lake Snot.

Green slime
 

Call it what you want, but stay away from it and keep the kids and animals away from it, you will see that these blooms will drift and dissipate in short order. Toxic or not, stay away!!