Anacostia mystery gunk is algae
The mysterious stuff that caused concern and curiosity after being found last month floating on the Anacostia River has been identified. It's rare and it's alive, federal officials said Friday. But they also said it is on the way out and expected to disappear.
The Environmental Protection Agency said the black substance that has plagued part of the Anacostia since mid-August is not a petroleum product or other hazardous material as was thought. It is, the EPA said, an unusual bloom of algae.
These algae are dinoflagellates of a type called Gymnodinium, the EPA said. Dinoflagellate blooms are rare in fresh water but common in Chesapeake Bay estuaries where salt content is greater, the EPA said. The agency said most of the bloom has dissipated, and it expects recent rain and cool weather to kill the rest. The EPA said it was called in by D.C. officials and found no stress to fish, birds or plants from the bloom.
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Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=bfb909bb6bf785ac1668160c61379c77
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