Stream at Kelsey Creek farm

I was suprised to see this here as they've been doing so much work on the landscaping and streams - maybe it's something natural, but I'm really not sure.

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Puget Sound Partnership says:

good find! I posted this as our photo of the week on www.psp.wa.gov. Check it out! Thanks for contributing it to the Puget Sound "Silent Crisis" photo group. www.flickr.com/groups/pugetsoundpartnership/
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Sedanman says:

Hey, thanks Rae! That's quite a comprehensive website, and I'll have to take a closer look at it when I have more time. It was very odd to see this just one day after I'd attended the grand opening of the new Mercer Slough Environmental Education center just a few miles away, also in Bellevue. I'm debating sending this image to Bellevue's Stream Team to see what they have to say about it.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Sedanman says:

Turns out this isn't really pollution after all; Laurie Devereaux of the
Bellevue Stream Team saw this photo when I sent her a link to the photos of the paint spill and responded with an explanation;

"The orange fuzzy deposits were from iron-oxide. When iron bacteria (Sphaerotilus-Leptothrix) “feed” on iron in the water, the dissolved iron reacts with the oxygen in the air and forms rust colored iron oxides. Iron-oxide deposits can be found in lakes and streams and often occur on hot dry days when the water is sluggish. A small movement of earth into a creek can set off the process of iron bacteria forming iron-oxide deposits. The deposits often dissipate after a rain shower.

Although the iron-oxide deposits may look strange, the process is natural and not toxic to fish, other aquatic life, or human health. Iron is a common element found in water and soils. Iron-fixing bacteria have probably existed in streams for over a million years!

Thankfully, the orange water was not an emergency, but if you see something that could be water pollution in Bellevue, please call the City of Bellevue Utilities Department any time at 425-452-7840, and we will investigate."
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken with a Canon PowerShot A720 IS.
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Taken on October 12, 2008

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Stream at Kelsey Creek farm

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