Photographic Study of Algae in the Rocky River 2009 - 2010 - 2011

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Statement of the Problem: The State of North Carolina has limited means of measuring water quality, to include algae, in Public Trust Waters.
In 2008 RRHF staff express strong concerns to NCDENR Water Quality staff about large floating mats of algae covering the surface waters of the Rocky River in the summertime. These photos are selected documentation collected by RRHF at the suggestion of Water Quality.
Historically, algae studies are conducted using small water samples with a chain of custody from the source to the laboratory. Today larger bodies of water are studied using satellite data, but small Public Trust Waters, such as the Rocky River, are not well suited to the study of algae from space. Accordingly, Rocky River water samples are taken mainly around bridges on State roads because of easy access to the river. RRHF had concerns that DWQ has not been receiving sufficient data on the conditions in the river contributing to the algae growth. (North Carolina has one of the lowest rates of per capita spending for environmental management in the US. Funding is so limited that a commercial vendor who is employed by the organizations that have the greatest impact on river water quality, provides much of the water quality data taken in the Cape Fear Basin.
As additional documentation of the problem the RRHF commissioned a limited photographic study of algae on the surface of the Rocky River.
(Study ProtocolStudy protocol)