State Mobilizes To Fight Algae
By Sara Nelson

More than 150 signs have been posted at access points to the White River.

An informational website is up and running.

New protocols for water-bound state employees have been drafted.

The first phase of the response to the recently discovered "rock snot" algae is complete. Now it remains to be seen how the public- and the invasive algae itself- will respond.

The algae, more politely called didymo, was discovered near Bloomfield, Vt. only weeks ago, and has also been confirmed at the Stony Brook confluence in Stockbridge. Since the confirmation of its presence in the state, state officials, biologists, and conservation groups have scrambled to address the threat the algae poses to the White River watershed.

In an emergency state meeting on July 13, the groups drafted measures to stop the spread of the algae. According to Mary Russ, director of the nonprofit White River Partnership, who attended the meeting, these measures- signs and a new website- were in place early this week.

Russ helped organize volunteers to post the signs at all the points of entry along the White River this week. The signs show pictures of the algae and describe how to clean gear, and refer rivergoers to the website for more information.

The fibrous algae, which has infested rivers in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast, as well as New Zealand, can smother rocks and plants and destroy fish habitat. It is spread to new locations by fishing gear, waders, and boats, and, once introduced, can spread downstream.

The Stony Brook location is the uppermost part of the White River watershed where didymo has been confirmed. On a trip to the site Tuesday, Russ found rocks partially covered with "stage one" didymo- small patches of short, green-brown, cottony-feeling material. The algae can eventually form dense mats 15" long, which are not slimy-feeling, but look like "wet toilet paper."

Russ said there is no known way to control or destroy didymo- attempts to eradicate the algae with chemicals have been unsuccessful.

Not Hopeless

While Russ is concerned, she is not hopeless about the situation.

"We really don't know" what the prognosis for state waterways is, she said, but "we have to assume the worst" and take the necessary precautions.

Luckily, Russ said, eradicating the algae from boats and equipment is "cheap and easy"- removing visible clumps of algae and scrubbing and soaking equipment and waders in hot water with a 5% solution of dish detergent.

"The good news is that everyone who uses the river has the means to prevent the spread" of didymo, she said.

For ten years, Russ's organization, the White River Partnership, has worked to preserve the White River through community management plans, education, water quality testing, tree planting, and river restoration projects. Russ said the advent of didymo will affect "every aspect" of the organization's work.

Russ said she's considering several longer-term strategies to fight the algae. These may include assembling a volunteer force to survey the entire river, conducting outreach and education to raise awareness about the issue, and partnering with anglers and boaters.

Additionally, Russ said, the Partnership has come up with a catchy slogan.

"We want people to help us knock the snot out of the White River."

The didymo information website can be found at:

www.whiteriverpartnership.org.