Rock Snot

[theboy]

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/200...6/11322931.html

[SilverDoctor]

We've had some discussions here about Didymo. It does worry me as it has been disastrous on other countries fisheries. I'm not scientist but have a bit of an issue by the statement that it is "native" to the Bow as I remember when it starting here, noting it in my journal. I've seen it on the Bow for the last 8 years when I noticing it as a major bloom. We should be promoting washing waders and equipment before venturing to other waters, especially smaller streams. I always wash equipment between trips, force of habit from fishing US waters.

[canadensis]

Saw this on the CBC news last night. seems they really know little about it? Not sure if native or introduced, not sure if the make-up has morphed into something exclusive to the Bow. Seems to be more questions that answers.

 

I was on a river in the south end of the Province and it was extreme this year, a thick carpet covering the entire bottom of the river in the slower water.

[nebc]

I have seen nothing in BC or Alberta that comes close to the way it has impacted streams in north and south islands in New Zealand.

 

This is in spite of lots of precautions. Google it.

 

The BC northeastern Region was the first in the province to express concern on the Peace River, however little has been done to follow anything up. While in the west Kootenay this summer we noticed it in the Columbia and were not impressed.

 

Never noticed in in our drifts of the Elk River from Sparwood to near Fernie and beyond.

 

yet

[bigalcal]

 

Is this "rock snot"? Picture was taken on Racehorse Creek AB this summer.

[SilverDoctor]

 

Is this "rock snot"? Picture was taken on Racehorse Creek AB this summer.

 

No, that looks like healthy green weed growth. Didymosphenia looks like sludge. Here's a link to a New Zeland YouTube film about it

. Gives you a good look at it. years ago I launched a personal war against small growths tossing them on shore from a favorite run. I lost the war. I guess one good thing is the cold weather reducing the length of season of growth.

 

[dryfly]

There is some technical stuff here. Includes some fact sheets.

 

To the best of my knowledge, this is didymo (below.) ... at least the gray-tan gunk is. The bright green algae is something else. There are taken below the OM dam. Didymo has been there almost since the dam was built.

 

It covers rocks and breaks away as is shown here. It is also called "toilet paper" algae. It is not an algae, but a freshwater microscopic diatom. What is confusing is that the references claim it prefers "warm" water. Whereas the water below the dam stays open all year, the water temps are cold all year long and it is chilly even in summer because it is a down-draw dam. Still, it seems to like it there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nebc]

There is some technical stuff here. Includes some fact sheets.

 

To the best of my knowledge, this is didymo (below.) ... at least the gray-tan gunk is. The bright green algae is something else. There are taken below the OM dam. Didymo has been there almost since the dam was built.

 

It covers rocks and breaks away as is shown here. It is also called "toilet paper" algae. It is not an algae, but a freshwater microscopic diatom. What is confusing is that the references claim it prefers "warm" water. Whereas the water below the dam stays open all year, the water temps are cold all year long and it is chilly even in summer because it is a down-draw dam. Still, it seems to like it there.

 

 

 

 

 

You got it. Good coverage and pics.

[CF8]

That there is one of the Oldman tailwater challenges to deal with for sure Dryfly...

[Der]

I think its in the Columbia at Castlegar as well, looks very much like the middle picture above and I actually thought was from pulp mill discharge, will have to start looking after my boots and waders better. Thanks for the pictures, worth a thousand words Daryl

[nebc]

I think its in the Columbia at Castlegar as well, looks very much like the middle picture above and I actually thought was from pulp mill discharge, will have to start looking after my boots and waders better. Thanks for the pictures, worth a thousand words Daryl

 

We fished from Castlegar to the Waneta Dam last summer and noticed Dydmo in various places all the way down in small amounts here and there, but nothing like what I would say is a current issue for the area so far.

 

We were looking around the Salmo River area from near Ymir to close to the Stag Leap Park turnoff and so nothing obvious there. We spent time fishing the Elk near Fernie and did not see it there. Never really saw or noticed evidence of it anywhere else we went.

 

We did see it in parts of the Bow and Oldman two years ago.