Is this Didymo?

[Mike]

On Fri, 3/8 my crew did stocked trout residency electrofishing on West Valley Ck and then shot over to Valley Ck to recon. the "Didymo" report since they were in the area. As suspected from the photo, the biota were not Didymo (fortunately). We appreciated the report along with the photo, however, and were pleased that the individual who made the report was also concerned regarding not wanting to send us on a wild goose chase. He even offered to return to the stream to touch the material before having us come out.

 

[LongWader]

Course when alive and slimy when it dies. The Gunpowder has a bloom most Winters and then when the water warms a little it dies and sloughs off in a gray to white color and a slimy consistency that sticks to everything, hence the snot. This year we had a lot of water coming over the spillway so I am hoping that it is not as bad this year. It is a pain early season when it dies and rolls down the river sticking to everything and anything.

 

[redietz]

Me too! If sure looks like rock snot to me? Even if you call it by another name, it's algae and it wrecks the fishing? Probably polluted water with high nitrates?

No. The lousy thing about didymo is that it only grows in the best quality water, where there aren't enough nutrients for any other algae to grow. It means it's nuisance in the very places you least want it.

are you sure about this "steel wool" feel?

Yes. It's a colony of diatoms, and contains spikes of silica. Dried out, it's pretty much the same thing as "diatomaceous earth".