Death Brings Rotten Stench To Stockton Waterways
STOCKTON (CBS13) — There's a pretty bad stench in Stockton and a lot of people are complaining about it.
The water looks disgusting, but the smell may be even worse.
"I walk by, just walking to the movies and it makes me lose my lunch," said Larry Shelton.
The culprit behind the smell is cyanobacteria. Many of us have seen the blue-green algae in water-stricken lake and streams, but it's not a true algae. Cyanobacteria look the same, but when it dies, the decay can produce a brown, frothy pond scum which gives off a strong odor.
The smell itself isn't toxic, but contact with the skin can cause irritation, and ingestion by animals can be deadly.
The drought reduced water levels, leaving more stagnant water where the cyanobacteria can thrive. A recent streak of triple-digit of temperatures in July helped amplify things.
There isn't much that can be done, only waiting for cooler fall air that can stop the bacteria and the smell.
Lisa Medina with the Environmental Health Department says not to use herbicides or algaecides, because they could just release more toxins when they make contact.