BECKY
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2012-06-30 07:49 PM |
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Aerating and stirring are pretty much the same thing. I think it's all just stirred up from the aerating attempts.Fortunately, I don't live near enough to comment on whether it smells better, the same, or worse...
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COMMENT 293041
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2012-06-30 08:37 PM |
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Smells much less now.
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COMMENT 293044
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2012-06-30 08:43 PM |
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When compared to the previous photo, it is obvious that the water is now totally consumed by an HAB (Harmful Algal Bloom)... often called a Red Tide. This is a devastating development.... and the outcome of poor management and stewardship. The consequences are staggering.
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COMMENT 293052P
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2012-06-30 09:54 PM |
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292 - what are the staggering consequences? (And it was not smelling this evening.)
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COMMENT 293056
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2012-07-01 12:53 AM |
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Thank you for the pic!!! But would it be too much to ask for pics of our shoreline? I was born and raised here and I would LOVE to see what I am swimming in or next to. Thank you!
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COMMENT 293063
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2012-07-01 06:56 AM |
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052: High levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, etc. in the water creates an environment where algae thrives quickly, then dies. After it dies and begins to decay, oxygen is used from the surrounding environment. Voila, no oxygen for fish or other organisms in the water. The short life cycle of algae is what makes this especially bad. Huge population growth in a short period of time is never generally good for surrounding species. Think bacteria and viruses.
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COMMENT 293066
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2012-07-01 07:02 AM |
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2291.... you are getting your algal blooms mixed up. Red tides are caused by diatoms and dinoflagellates and during intense blooms toxins can been released in the water causing fish die offs. Eating shellfish during these blooms has been very harmful to humans. But the algal bloom in the Bird Refuge is turning brown as the green algae die off, not because of red pigment containing organisms are blooming and releasing deadly toxins that will somehow leach out of the closed basin or be carried by the decomposition gases everyone's been complaining about lately.
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ROGER DODGER
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2012-07-01 07:05 AM |
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Still looks like HELL and I'm saying that from my porta pottie! I've been really ill since I went there. I didn't expect that to happen.. Thanks for the picture John.
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SBJULES
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2012-07-01 08:01 AM |
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It doesn't smell any more or I should say I could not smell it from my open car window. Will folks remember next year when the annual alge bloom recurs and not freak out?
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COMMENT 293107
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2012-07-01 09:12 AM |
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Just because there is "no smell" at the present, although there is in fact still a smell there, but on a much smaller scale, this does not mean that everything is just fine there. Smell alone is not the indicator of the health of the refuge... there is impending ecosystem collapse here if one simply relies on "smell" to determine the health of this pond. The city needs to perform determinant tests and publish exactly what types of algae are present, and the other composition values existing in the water, i.e. the state of the water quality now. Only when this is performed and published will we understand exactly what is going on. Simply, this is called "best practices." the following website for general topic info: :http://www.wri.org/project/eutrophication/about
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COMMENT 293110
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2012-07-01 09:30 AM |
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Maybe sb should start taking care of sb instead of all the homeless.
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COMMENT 293052P
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2012-07-01 09:40 AM |
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2292 - I agree that the health of the BR needs to be determined. Algae, dead or alive, is not necessarily a serious problem: natural ponds have it regularly, especially those without infill. It is a regular happening, especially where there is no natural infill, as has been so this dry/LaNina weather year. (So far, it looks as though an El Nino pattern is developing for this winter.) The problem here that's been noted has been the extreme smell; that's why it's interesting that there is not so much a smell - there's always something in a natural place like that. I agree that "best practices" need to be followed but note that the Parks Department seems to underfunded and therefore trying to get money from other departments. ...I hope that the Parks/Rec. Commission is looking at this, including at salaries, benefits, etc. which are probably at least about 40-50% of the out going budget.
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COMMENT 293131
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2012-07-01 10:30 AM |
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that is just disgusting.
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JOHN WILEY
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2012-07-01 03:01 PM |
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TruthTeller asked: "pics of our shoreline? ... see what I am swimming in" Actually, the typical health concern (bacteria) in the water on our beaches doesn't really show from the air. Maybe it would with infrared or other special cameras? But interestingly enough in relation to some other comments on this Edhat item, yesterday I *did* notice something. It looked like there might be a bloom of some sort starting just off East Beach. It was a streak of water with just a slightly reddish hue in that area that was more noticeable with polarized glasses. I figured it wouldn't show with my new camera, and I don't have a polarized filter for it. Might fly again today, so maybe we'll try it with the filter on my old camera. We do see oil slicks (and did yesterday), but those move around quite a bit. When I see one that's in an unusual area or especially large (or something weird), sometimes I snap them. I wonder how many people would be interested in more such pix?
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JOJOFLYS
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2012-07-01 04:03 PM |
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I was flying the coast on Wednesday and we saw what looked to be red tide blooms near Malibu and off Oxnard.
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COMMENT 293110
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2012-07-01 05:47 PM |
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Monk would be out there with a bilge pump!
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COMMENT 293066
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2012-07-01 06:01 PM |
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The Bird Refuge and the ocean have nothing to do with each other. During heavy rain runoff the refuge will overflow to the ocean but that's as far as they have anything to do with each other. That was clearly visible in John's photos of 6/25 that show clear water at the beach and porta-pottie brown at the weir. For the Refuge to become biologically vibrant it needs to have a regular source of clean water whether fresh or salt. It doesn't. Sycamore Creek was diverted long ago and now empties a block away. That would provide a large enough watershed to help the refuge out of its stagnant cesspool existence. But to worry as though it is biologically relevant like Los Carneros Lake for example is ludicrous. It's a stagnant puddle. The vernal ponds around Goleta Sleugh that fill up at the rainy season and dry out after a couple of months are more biologically diverse and relevant than the Refuge.
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COMMENT 293052P
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2012-07-01 09:57 PM |
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I like seeing again the blossom off Goleta Beach! What's the new camera that you mention?
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JOHN WILEY
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2012-07-01 10:05 PM |
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052P, camera details on my Photo Page (click the link for my Profile there). Pretty remarkable upgrade from the D40 and uses the same lenses. I looked at a D3200 but like this one much better. A very welcome gift. :)
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COMMENT 293052P
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2012-07-02 09:12 AM |
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Thanks. Nice sharp lens - I don't know the Sigma! ...And I was amused to see how far ahead you are: "Photoshop CS8 (rarely)"
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