Reaching the source beneath the surface — that's the plan at McLeod Lake in Stockton to try and combat harmful algae blooms from cropping up.
You might not see it now, but in the next month, it could be a different story. Nearly every year, the blue waters at Weber Point in downtown Stockton turn green. But now, the Port of Stockton, California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and other partners are taking a new approach to combat this sticky and potentially toxic substance.
"I feel like I'm working in the Caribbean," said Jeff Wingfield, the Port of Stockton's deputy director of regulatory and public affairs. "The water is so blue and green from the algae."
Lurking in the soil, beneath the waters of the delta, is a lot of algae. During the summer months, it makes itself known by making its way to the surface.
"When we have really hot temperatures, there's just kind of less water movement in general, then that's like the perfect conditions for these blooms to take off," said Ellen Preece, manager of the DWR's environmental program.
The green, slimy algae were first detected in the delta in 1999.
Environmentalists like Preece say it can cause major problems for fish and wildlife by choking off oxygen. The blooms can also create issues for people who like to enjoy being in or near the water.
"One of the biggest concerns is that these blooms can form toxins," Preece continued. "It can cause liver problems if people or animals are drinking large volumes of water, ingesting it. You can also be exposed to the toxin by eating shellfish that have been contaminated with the toxin."
That's why officials are teaming up to attack and study the algae differently for the first time, by way of dredging.
"We looked at potentially sifting or skimming the material out, but it doesn't get to what Ellen's trying to get, which is getting out the seed stock and preventing it from happening in the first place," Preece said.
For the past four years, the DWR has been sampling algae in the delta.
Now, with a grant fully funded by the Army Corps of Engineers, they plan to dredge much of McLeod Lake with the hopes of eradicating the problem from the source.
"We'll collect sediment samples and water samples and we'll see: Is that overwintering seed stock decreased since before dredging? And are the blooms less severe compared to post-dredging? We're running a variety of different tests to make that determination," Preece explained.
If all goes well, the Army Corps of Engineers will adopt this new strategy and apply it to other waterways nationwide.
"How long would this dredging work? I don't know the answer to that at this time, but it may be an important tool to use," Preece said.
The cost of dredging is extremely high, so the team is only tackling McLeod Lake for now.
They'll understand more of the costs and area estimates by September, with the hopes of starting the project in November.
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