Middle Creek , Lancaster County

[raftman]

My wife and I took a hike along Middle Creek yesterday and I was astounded at the color of the stream - it looked like thick pea soup. I've never seen a stream that color before. I took some photos and we walked to the dam... my guess is that it's from algae from the lake?
Is this normal?
It's an otherwise really beautiful stream with some great structure.

Thoughts?

ON our drive home we crossed the creek again in Hopeland and it was just as green there.

 

[riverwhy]

It has been like this since at least the 1980's! But back then it only happened later in the summer. Now it is year round especially if a north wind is blowing water off the dam.
Nice looking stream otherwise!

 

[raftman]

Wow, that's crazy. So it's all from algae off the lake?
What a bummer; it's a great looking stream.

 

[riverwhy]

Yes. Lots of goose poop. I hate to think what the bacteria is like in that water. One of the downsides of waterfowl conservation.