Lafayette River Algal Bloom

The large patches of brown water seen here in the Lafayette River in Norfolk, Va., is an algal bloom, also known as a "mahogany tide." Such blooms are the result of excess water pollution and warm weather, which combine to over-stimulate the growth of naturally occurring algae. Algal blooms stain the water, block sunlight needed by underwater grasses, and suck oxygen from the water, creating "dead zones" where fish, crabs, and oysters struggle to survive. The key to preventing algal blooms is reducing the excess nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution fouling our streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. Click here to learn more.