James river produces a lightweight algal foam?

Mystery brews along the James White foam appears along the river here; the cause is unknown Jun 7, 2006 BY REX SPRINGSTON TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER A mysterious white foam coated much of the James River in Richmond VA[8)] yesterday morning before dissipating a few hours later. No one knows the source of the foam. It apparently caused no damage. No fish turned belly up. The lacy foam, resembling soap suds, covered nearly the entire river yesterday about 8 a.m. from the so-called Z dam at Williams Island to just above the Huguenot Bridge, said James River Park manager Ralph White. That's a distance of about a half-mile. By late morning, the white foam had dissipated, but a brownish scum hugged the shoreline where the water moved slowly. "This morning it was massive, and now there's nothing," said White, standing along the James in South Richmond about noon. He was just upriver from the bridge. White said he didn't know if the foam was caused by the natural decay of organic matter, or by a pulse of pollution of some kind. He said it didn't look natural to him. White said there had been four or five similar incidents in the past three weeks but not as extensive. "This morning I was aghast, because it was all the way across the river." Figuring out a strange foam is like fixing a car's weird noise you've got to be there. The state Department of Environmental Quality could not send an investigator before the foam went away. "If we are not there to actually see it, it's difficult to reach a conclusion" as to the cause, said DEQ spokesman Bill Hayden. Wayne Huggins, executive director of the Virginia State Police Association, stood beside some of the brown scum as he did a little midday fishing at Huguenot Flatwater, just above the bridge. "I come down frequently on my lunch hour, and I don't remember seeing this before," Huggins said. By early afternoon, people were wading and splashing just below the formerly foamy area. For now, the foam is a mystery. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. James River foam likely a natural phenomenon Jun 9, 2006 DEQ theory suggests origin may be organic chemicals flowing through rapid areas BY REX SPRINGSTON The mysterious white foam on the James River resurfaced yesterday, then quickly got a lot less mysterious. "It appears that this is natural," said Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality. According to a preliminary theory, DEQ scientists say unusually warm, dry weather in March and early April promoted extra growth of plants and algae in the James, Hayden said. Those plants decay, releasing natural organic chemicals. "When that material flows through the rapid areas, that tends to aerate it and causes the foam," Hayden said. The foam forms in the morning, then dissipates as the sun warms it, Hayden said. The DEQ continues to investigate. The agency awaits lab results of a water sample taken last week. People have spotted the foam about a half-dozen times this spring, including Tuesday and yesterday. It has caused no apparent harm, but it has mystified many. State and city health officials referred questions yesterday to Hayden. About 9 a.m. yesterday, patches of the foam flowed past the river's south bank and extended about a third of the way across the river. The foam extended from just above the Huguenot Bridge to about a mile below it before dissipating about midday. The foam should have little effect on the Capital One Adventure Games, which will take place June 17-18 on Brown's Island. Seven of the games' 11 events take place on the James, and two involve swimming. The Splash One-Miler at Robious Landing Park is on June 17, and the XTerra East Championship, which includes a 1,200-meter swim downtown, is June 18. But Sports Backers, which organizes the Adventure Games stop in Richmond, is not worried about the foam. "Unless we hear that it is harmful, the events will go on as planned," Marketing Director Scott Shricker said. Just above the Huguenot Bridge yesterday, kayaker Jim Struve of Chesterfield County touched the foam and said it didn't feel greasy or strange. Struve said he was curious but not alarmed. Near Struve stood Chuck Frederickson of the James River Association, an environmental group. He serves as riverkeeperfor the James River -- basically the eyes and ears of the people. Frederickson said he had seen similar foam at Watkins Landing in Powhatan County earlier in the morning, but on the north side of the river. He saw no foam at Robious Landing in Chesterfield County, then found it again in Richmond. Those intermittent appearances indicate the foam might be natural and not the result of pollution that's seeping in somewhere, Frederickson said. There are lots of things besides foam in the James. The state lists the river in the Richmond area as technically unfit for swimming because of fecal bacteria from sources that include the waste of dogs, geese and probably cattle. Rains wash the waste into the water. Water tests in Richmond show the river is fine for swimming most days, but bacteria levels have been high often enough to put the river on the state's so-called dirty-water list. Health experts say people should be OK as long as they don't swim during or shortly after a rain. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. Staff writer Tim Gorman contributed to this report.

A little further research has revealed that such foams have been seen at waterfalls and rapids dozens of times in the past. We should be very carefully watching these rapids and waterfalls because foaming is often caused by natural surfactants…such as GET THIS…FATTY ACIDS! By watching rapids and waterfalls for unexplained foaming we could identify heretofore unknown high oil producing organisms including alage. © 2006 Patrick Ward 10 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com http://www.state.me.us/dep/blwq/doclake/surface.htm#foam Foam Description: Foam "soap suds" on the surface or along the shore. Analysis: Foam along the shore probably does not indicate pollution from laundry waste. Virtually all detergents today are a biodegradable form which is easily broken down by bacteria. Most foam is natural. Foam is created when the surface tension of water is reduced and air is mixed in, causing bubbles. Many natural organic compounds will reduce surface tension, including those from decomposing algae and fish. In a lake, these organic compounds are mixed with air by wind and currents to produce foam. Large quantities of foam are often found on windward shores, coves and in eddies. Natural foam has a somewhat earthy or fishy aroma. Detergent foam, in contrast, will have a noticeable perfume smell. http://www.potomacriver.org/info_center/reporterpdf/2004/v604.pdf#search='algal%20foam' http://www.duluthstreams.org/old_stuff/explore/foam.html Piles of Foam? It's a natural phenomena! Blankets of foam below waterfalls, rapids and riffles and accumulating in backwater areas and pools are a common feature of northland streams, particularly in the Spring. A frequently asked question is: "What's polluting our stream? It's covered with foam! What is it? The foam found in lakes and streams is usually natural. Wind-driven currents frequently create parallel streaks of foam in open water that accumulate along windward shores and in coves. In streams it's formed from the turbulence of waterfalls and rapids.It is usually caused by naturally occurring dissolved organic compounds in the water that act as "surfactants" and reduce the surface tension of the surface film of water. This allows fine bubbles and froth to form, accumulate on the surface, and be moved into calm areas by wind and water currents. Natural or Man-made? Most of the compounds that lead to foam are fatty acids that come from decomposing plants and animals and are chemically similar to additives in soap products. People often blame shoreline foam on detergents, but they usually don't create long-lasting foam and tend to quickly lose their sudsing ability. Surfactants are the key active ingredient of detergents and increase the wetting and cleaning power of water. Industrially polluted effluents that caused great masses of foam were much more common in the past before about 1964 when the detergent industry introduced a new surfactant that greatly reduced wastewater foaming. The Clean Water Act of 1972 led to further changes in the formulations of soap and detergent, wastewater treatment and the elimination of most of the worst offenders in point sources. Local sources can still produce excess foam but would likely be diluted relatively quickly. A number of environmental agencies report that natural foam usually has an earthy or fishy smell while detergent foam has a perfumy fragrance. Environmental consequences The foam itself, if natural, is simply an interesting part of the ecosystem. However, if it is derived from human activities, there may other pollutants associated with it that may affect human and environmental health. If detergent-based, the phosphorus in the product can lead to eutrophication effects which include excess algal and plant growth, higher suspended solids and reduced oxygen levels. It may also be an indication of excess storm water runoff which can contribute a variety of pollutants, including some toxic compounds. Since foam is most likely to be produced during periods of high runoff, the public should treat it with some degree of caution because it may contain disease causing organisms from sewer overflows and stormwater runoff, in addition to chemical contaminants. Unbelievable amounts of foam were generated below a dam on the Raisin River in Dundee, Michigan in March 2003. The fluffy stuff piled about 12 feet high from bank to bank. Although the river is known to generate considerable foam in the spring, this year was exceptionally "impressive." The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality believes that a confluence of factors contributed to a very high volume of foaming incidents and complaints in March 2003, not only at this site but in many different warm water river systems. A drier than usual winter and early spring may have contributed to a build up of the natural factors that cause foaming. There was no conclusive evidence linking the suds to sanitary sewer or combined stormwater runoff and there was no correlation at all to the very limited CSO/SSO's this spring around the River Raisin. Section Acknowledgement: Gerald Blaha of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for making available a list of websites for information relating to sources and consequences of foam.

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Originally posted by fossilfreedom
Mystery brews along the James White foam appears along the river here; the cause is unknown Jun 7, 2006 BY REX SPRINGSTON TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER A mysterious white foam coated much of the James River in Richmond VA[8)] yesterday morning before dissipating a few hours later. No one knows the source of the foam. It apparently caused no damage. No fish turned belly up. The lacy foam, resembling soap suds, covered nearly the entire river yesterday about 8 a.m. from the so-called Z dam at Williams Island to just above the Huguenot Bridge, said James River Park manager Ralph White. That's a distance of about a half-mile. By late morning, the white foam had dissipated, but a brownish scum hugged the shoreline where the water moved slowly. "This morning it was massive, and now there's nothing," said White, standing along the James in South Richmond about noon. He was just upriver from the bridge. White said he didn't know if the foam was caused by the natural decay of organic matter, or by a pulse of pollution of some kind. He said it didn't look natural to him. White said there had been four or five similar incidents in the past three weeks but not as extensive. "This morning I was aghast, because it was all the way across the river." Figuring out a strange foam is like fixing a car's weird noise you've got to be there. The state Department of Environmental Quality could not send an investigator before the foam went away. "If we are not there to actually see it, it's difficult to reach a conclusion" as to the cause, said DEQ spokesman Bill Hayden. Wayne Huggins, executive director of the Virginia State Police Association, stood beside some of the brown scum as he did a little midday fishing at Huguenot Flatwater, just above the bridge. "I come down frequently on my lunch hour, and I don't remember seeing this before," Huggins said. By early afternoon, people were wading and splashing just below the formerly foamy area. For now, the foam is a mystery. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. James River foam likely a natural phenomenon Jun 9, 2006 DEQ theory suggests origin may be organic chemicals flowing through rapid areas BY REX SPRINGSTON The mysterious white foam on the James River resurfaced yesterday, then quickly got a lot less mysterious. "It appears that this is natural," said Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality. According to a preliminary theory, DEQ scientists say unusually warm, dry weather in March and early April promoted extra growth of plants and algae in the James, Hayden said. Those plants decay, releasing natural organic chemicals. "When that material flows through the rapid areas, that tends to aerate it and causes the foam," Hayden said. The foam forms in the morning, then dissipates as the sun warms it, Hayden said. The DEQ continues to investigate. The agency awaits lab results of a water sample taken last week. People have spotted the foam about a half-dozen times this spring, including Tuesday and yesterday. It has caused no apparent harm, but it has mystified many. State and city health officials referred questions yesterday to Hayden. About 9 a.m. yesterday, patches of the foam flowed past the river's south bank and extended about a third of the way across the river. The foam extended from just above the Huguenot Bridge to about a mile below it before dissipating about midday. The foam should have little effect on the Capital One Adventure Games, which will take place June 17-18 on Brown's Island. Seven of the games' 11 events take place on the James, and two involve swimming. The Splash One-Miler at Robious Landing Park is on June 17, and the XTerra East Championship, which includes a 1,200-meter swim downtown, is June 18. But Sports Backers, which organizes the Adventure Games stop in Richmond, is not worried about the foam. "Unless we hear that it is harmful, the events will go on as planned," Marketing Director Scott Shricker said. Just above the Huguenot Bridge yesterday, kayaker Jim Struve of Chesterfield County touched the foam and said it didn't feel greasy or strange. Struve said he was curious but not alarmed. Near Struve stood Chuck Frederickson of the James River Association, an environmental group. He serves as riverkeeperfor the James River -- basically the eyes and ears of the people. Frederickson said he had seen similar foam at Watkins Landing in Powhatan County earlier in the morning, but on the north side of the river. He saw no foam at Robious Landing in Chesterfield County, then found it again in Richmond. Those intermittent appearances indicate the foam might be natural and not the result of pollution that's seeping in somewhere, Frederickson said. There are lots of things besides foam in the James. The state lists the river in the Richmond area as technically unfit for swimming because of fecal bacteria from sources that include the waste of dogs, geese and probably cattle. Rains wash the waste into the water. Water tests in Richmond show the river is fine for swimming most days, but bacteria levels have been high often enough to put the river on the state's so-called dirty-water list. Health experts say people should be OK as long as they don't swim during or shortly after a rain. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. Staff writer Tim Gorman contributed to this report.

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13 Jan 2006 12:00 PM Today at sunrise, on the way to the polls vote in the Virginia senatorial primary election, I stopped at the James River, just above Pony Pasture, and rock-hopped out into the swiftly flowing rapids. There, well away from shore, I and took samples of a snow-white frothy foam that was in the fast-flowing river. The James is a wide, expansive river basin at that point. A few days earlier, massive amounts of foam had filled the river basin for a 1 mile stretch. It was just 54 degrees F last night. Just as I had suspected, the cold night air has cooled the water surface, and rapid water flow was allowing some new foams to evolve. The sun had not yet burned these off. It is postulated that these river foams are due to chilled, floating, fresh water, algae-origin fatty acids (from decaying alae blooms upriver), becoming viscous and resilient when cold, and thus entrapping air at night, in the river rapids, to create naturally flocculating floating foams that an easily be aggregated and collected. Hopefully, if the presence of algae oils can be verified, a search upriver for the mother lode algae-bloom origin could be conducted before the source algae dies off. Such high algae-oil producing freshwater species would be ideal for cultivation in freshwater photobioreactores. Such aq1uaculture in photobioreactors could use rainwater collection as the principle water source. The lack of high salt concentrations would allow purification and recycling of aquaculture waste-water streams with no need to create or process or desalinate used brackish aquaculture waste-water streams with electrodalysis or ion exchange or reverse osmosis. The identification of the algae type, and bloom location, of a species of freshwater algae; that may well be proven, to have naturally produced, enough fatty-acid surfactants, to foam an entire mile of the expansive James River basin, would be a marvelous find! The James River at that point, is remarkably silt-free, and the riverbed is composed of fractured outcroppings, of the Petersburg Granite rock formation. The hard dense granite is well rounded, having been scrubbed, and smoothed by rapids and many centuries of high water erosion. Green macro-algae clings to some of the rocks, while others are remarkably free of vegetation and quite clean. The foam was coming downriver, in thin white floating streamers about 6-12 inches wide, that would become trapped in eddy currents and whirlpools. My first sample was a 3 foot major radius torus-shaped donut of snow-white foam, with a minor radius of about 12 inches, that was just sitting there rotating slowly, at about 1 revolution per minute, in a natural whirlpool, that was efficiently accumulating the foam streamers that were coming down the river! This spinning, floating foam donut had a clearly defined hole in the middle, and I used a clean plastic dustpan to scoop it, into a clean 40 gallon polyethylene garbage bag. This was fresh, pure white, clean looking foam. It smelled like fish oil! Some rocks were also naturally shaped, to allow the water to flow under the rocks, and through a submerged exit path, thus trapping the floating foam in crevices between the rocks, which were acting as funnels above. This foam was also white, but had been trapped somewhat longer than the whirpool foam, and was beginning to form darker looking streaks in areas where the bubbles were beginning to collapse and aggregate. I took samples of several of the foams that had aggregated too. I sampled these from several natural funnel traps, and added them to the garbage bag The foams were surprisingly resilient. The bubbles for the most part persisted. The volume of foam in the bag, filled it completely. I got perhaps 30 gallons of white foam weighing about3-4 pounds. After I voted, I raced home and placed the bag in the freezer. At that time (about 45 minutes after sampling), the bubbles had collapsed by about 50% and the volume no longer filled the bag. It looked about ½ full. There were several ounces of dark looking liquid, (still contained) in the bottom of the bag where the liquid from the collapsed foam bubbles had collected. The foam itself, had also darkened, and become light brown. The liquid still looked thin and watery, but in terms of color, it looked a lot like the color of fresh, clean motor oil. Now the bag is frozen, with a solid frozen liquid at the bottom, and an easily shattered frozen foam fraction at the top. I plan to remove the frozen foam and repackage it in a different bag, to separate the frozen foam into a different bag for storage. I will also be looking for signs of a frozen emulsified layer or solidified oil layer after the sample has time to become super-cooled. Any ideas what do with this sample next? Could someone identify the freshwater algae species (if truly of algal origin) from frozen samples, with or even without some lucky entrapment of the carcasses of the originating algae in the liquid sample? © 2006 Patrick Ward 13 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com

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Originally posted by fossilfreedom
A little further research has revealed that such foams have been seen at waterfalls and rapids dozens of times in the past. We should be very carefully watching these rapids and waterfalls because foaming is often caused by natural surfactants…such as GET THIS…FATTY ACIDS! By watching rapids and waterfalls for unexplained foaming we could identify heretofore unknown high oil producing organisms including alage. © 2006 Patrick Ward 10 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com http://www.state.me.us/dep/blwq/doclake/surface.htm#foam Foam Description: Foam "soap suds" on the surface or along the shore. Analysis: Foam along the shore probably does not indicate pollution from laundry waste. Virtually all detergents today are a biodegradable form which is easily broken down by bacteria. Most foam is natural. Foam is created when the surface tension of water is reduced and air is mixed in, causing bubbles. Many natural organic compounds will reduce surface tension, including those from decomposing algae and fish. In a lake, these organic compounds are mixed with air by wind and currents to produce foam. Large quantities of foam are often found on windward shores, coves and in eddies. Natural foam has a somewhat earthy or fishy aroma. Detergent foam, in contrast, will have a noticeable perfume smell. http://www.potomacriver.org/info_center/reporterpdf/2004/v604.pdf#search='algal%20foam' http://www.duluthstreams.org/old_stuff/explore/foam.html Piles of Foam? It's a natural phenomena! Blankets of foam below waterfalls, rapids and riffles and accumulating in backwater areas and pools are a common feature of northland streams, particularly in the Spring. A frequently asked question is: "What's polluting our stream? It's covered with foam! What is it? The foam found in lakes and streams is usually natural. Wind-driven currents frequently create parallel streaks of foam in open water that accumulate along windward shores and in coves. In streams it's formed from the turbulence of waterfalls and rapids.It is usually caused by naturally occurring dissolved organic compounds in the water that act as "surfactants" and reduce the surface tension of the surface film of water. This allows fine bubbles and froth to form, accumulate on the surface, and be moved into calm areas by wind and water currents. Natural or Man-made? Most of the compounds that lead to foam are fatty acids that come from decomposing plants and animals and are chemically similar to additives in soap products. People often blame shoreline foam on detergents, but they usually don't create long-lasting foam and tend to quickly lose their sudsing ability. Surfactants are the key active ingredient of detergents and increase the wetting and cleaning power of water. Industrially polluted effluents that caused great masses of foam were much more common in the past before about 1964 when the detergent industry introduced a new surfactant that greatly reduced wastewater foaming. The Clean Water Act of 1972 led to further changes in the formulations of soap and detergent, wastewater treatment and the elimination of most of the worst offenders in point sources. Local sources can still produce excess foam but would likely be diluted relatively quickly. A number of environmental agencies report that natural foam usually has an earthy or fishy smell while detergent foam has a perfumy fragrance. Environmental consequences The foam itself, if natural, is simply an interesting part of the ecosystem. However, if it is derived from human activities, there may other pollutants associated with it that may affect human and environmental health. If detergent-based, the phosphorus in the product can lead to eutrophication effects which include excess algal and plant growth, higher suspended solids and reduced oxygen levels. It may also be an indication of excess storm water runoff which can contribute a variety of pollutants, including some toxic compounds. Since foam is most likely to be produced during periods of high runoff, the public should treat it with some degree of caution because it may contain disease causing organisms from sewer overflows and stormwater runoff, in addition to chemical contaminants. Unbelievable amounts of foam were generated below a dam on the Raisin River in Dundee, Michigan in March 2003. The fluffy stuff piled about 12 feet high from bank to bank. Although the river is known to generate considerable foam in the spring, this year was exceptionally "impressive." The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality believes that a confluence of factors contributed to a very high volume of foaming incidents and complaints in March 2003, not only at this site but in many different warm water river systems. A drier than usual winter and early spring may have contributed to a build up of the natural factors that cause foaming. There was no conclusive evidence linking the suds to sanitary sewer or combined stormwater runoff and there was no correlation at all to the very limited CSO/SSO's this spring around the River Raisin. Section Acknowledgement: Gerald Blaha of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for making available a list of websites for information relating to sources and consequences of foam.

quote:

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Originally posted by fossilfreedom
Mystery brews along the James White foam appears along the river here; the cause is unknown Jun 7, 2006 BY REX SPRINGSTON TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER A mysterious white foam coated much of the James River in Richmond VA[8)] yesterday morning before dissipating a few hours later. No one knows the source of the foam. It apparently caused no damage. No fish turned belly up. The lacy foam, resembling soap suds, covered nearly the entire river yesterday about 8 a.m. from the so-called Z dam at Williams Island to just above the Huguenot Bridge, said James River Park manager Ralph White. That's a distance of about a half-mile. By late morning, the white foam had dissipated, but a brownish scum hugged the shoreline where the water moved slowly. "This morning it was massive, and now there's nothing," said White, standing along the James in South Richmond about noon. He was just upriver from the bridge. White said he didn't know if the foam was caused by the natural decay of organic matter, or by a pulse of pollution of some kind. He said it didn't look natural to him. White said there had been four or five similar incidents in the past three weeks but not as extensive. "This morning I was aghast, because it was all the way across the river." Figuring out a strange foam is like fixing a car's weird noise you've got to be there. The state Department of Environmental Quality could not send an investigator before the foam went away. "If we are not there to actually see it, it's difficult to reach a conclusion" as to the cause, said DEQ spokesman Bill Hayden. Wayne Huggins, executive director of the Virginia State Police Association, stood beside some of the brown scum as he did a little midday fishing at Huguenot Flatwater, just above the bridge. "I come down frequently on my lunch hour, and I don't remember seeing this before," Huggins said. By early afternoon, people were wading and splashing just below the formerly foamy area. For now, the foam is a mystery. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. James River foam likely a natural phenomenon Jun 9, 2006 DEQ theory suggests origin may be organic chemicals flowing through rapid areas BY REX SPRINGSTON The mysterious white foam on the James River resurfaced yesterday, then quickly got a lot less mysterious. "It appears that this is natural," said Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality. According to a preliminary theory, DEQ scientists say unusually warm, dry weather in March and early April promoted extra growth of plants and algae in the James, Hayden said. Those plants decay, releasing natural organic chemicals. "When that material flows through the rapid areas, that tends to aerate it and causes the foam," Hayden said. The foam forms in the morning, then dissipates as the sun warms it, Hayden said. The DEQ continues to investigate. The agency awaits lab results of a water sample taken last week. People have spotted the foam about a half-dozen times this spring, including Tuesday and yesterday. It has caused no apparent harm, but it has mystified many. State and city health officials referred questions yesterday to Hayden. About 9 a.m. yesterday, patches of the foam flowed past the river's south bank and extended about a third of the way across the river. The foam extended from just above the Huguenot Bridge to about a mile below it before dissipating about midday. The foam should have little effect on the Capital One Adventure Games, which will take place June 17-18 on Brown's Island. Seven of the games' 11 events take place on the James, and two involve swimming. The Splash One-Miler at Robious Landing Park is on June 17, and the XTerra East Championship, which includes a 1,200-meter swim downtown, is June 18. But Sports Backers, which organizes the Adventure Games stop in Richmond, is not worried about the foam. "Unless we hear that it is harmful, the events will go on as planned," Marketing Director Scott Shricker said. Just above the Huguenot Bridge yesterday, kayaker Jim Struve of Chesterfield County touched the foam and said it didn't feel greasy or strange. Struve said he was curious but not alarmed. Near Struve stood Chuck Frederickson of the James River Association, an environmental group. He serves as riverkeeperfor the James River -- basically the eyes and ears of the people. Frederickson said he had seen similar foam at Watkins Landing in Powhatan County earlier in the morning, but on the north side of the river. He saw no foam at Robious Landing in Chesterfield County, then found it again in Richmond. Those intermittent appearances indicate the foam might be natural and not the result of pollution that's seeping in somewhere, Frederickson said. There are lots of things besides foam in the James. The state lists the river in the Richmond area as technically unfit for swimming because of fecal bacteria from sources that include the waste of dogs, geese and probably cattle. Rains wash the waste into the water. Water tests in Richmond show the river is fine for swimming most days, but bacteria levels have been high often enough to put the river on the state's so-called dirty-water list. Health experts say people should be OK as long as they don't swim during or shortly after a rain. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. Staff writer Tim Gorman contributed to this report.

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14 June 2005 I took some samples of the James River Mystery Foam and froze them to make an easily shattered foam, that could be stored. Today I took enough foam to form about ½ fluid once on melting. I placed that in a microwave oven and boiled off almost all the water. Then I placed an 8 once glass of water in the microwave oven to protect the magnetron from reflected RF microwave energy in case to sample boiled dry. I carefully continued to boil away the sample water until just a small amount of water remained in the bottom of the petri dish. I then cooled the sample to room temperature. There was what appeared to be a greenish brown colloidal suspension (protein?). On top of the colloidal suspension was floating what looked to me as a film of greenish brown oil. I placed the sample in freezer and observed as the colloidal suspension/water froze under the oil film. Then I touched the oil layer with my fingertip. Indeed, there was a thickened but not frozen oil layer on top! The oil was not solid at 30-32 degrees, just thicker. I continued to freeze the sample until the colloidal ice was totally solid. Then I took a pin and carefully scraped some of the thick oil off the ice and onto the point of the pin. I lit a match and let it flare off. Then I held the oil laden pinpoint just above the flame (in the clear, non incandescent space) about ¾ of second later, there was a bright yellowish white flash of fire at the pinpoint that lasted about 1/10 of a second. The (algal?) oil contained by, and concentrated in, the James River (VA) Mystery Foam had burned ferociously! © 2006 Patrick Ward 14 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com

I'm no expert, but it sounds like the beginning stages of eutrophication induced by high levels of phosphorus run-off. Hopefully this is not a harmful algal bloom (HAB) from some type of cyanobacteria. Considering that the latest tests showed 1.9 parts of phosphorus per million of water just above the Huguenot Bridge, I would assume the State Department of Environmental Quality will track the source of this phosphorus before very long. Just out of curiousity, has the James River ever had a history of problems with Eurasian Watermilfoil? TJ..

I remember an algae bloom that produced foul tasting city water back in 1980, but I do not recall the source species. I will try to research that, but it was way pre-Internet. © 2006 Patrick Ward 14 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com Blooms are uncommon above the rapids (fall line) There was a typical bloom in the lower James River (below the fall line) last year: Algae bloom 'fairly typical' Outbreak in the James is no threat to people but could harm fish BY REX SPRINGSTON TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jul 29, 2005 The algae growing in the James River just below Hopewell are not harmful to people, state officials said yesterday. But such outbreaks, often called blooms, remain a concern because algae can suck oxygen from the water when they die. That can create areas that are harmful to fish and other aquatic creatures. "As far as the public is concerned, there is no indication of any concern here," said Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality. "It is really a water-quality issue we want to monitor." Harold G. Marshall, an Old Dominion University algae expert, reported to the DEQ yesterday the results of tests on water samples taken Wednesday from the James. Marshall identified the plants as common types of blue-green and green algae. Paraphrasing Marshall, Hayden said the outbreak was a "fairly typical algae bloom." Experts say such algae outbreaks are symptoms of a major problem in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries -- an overabundance of nutrients from sewage plants, farm manure, suburban fertilizers and other sources. "Because we are taking nutrient pollution very seriously, we want to watch this kind of algae bloom when it occurs," Hayden said. "If the water cools off, we would expect [the algae] to dissipate before too long." Some algae can be harmful to people, causing skin rashes, upset stomachs and other problems. The resort town of Colonial Beach temporarily closed its beaches last summer when a toxic form of algae contaminated the Potomac River. The heat and sun of the past several days probably contributed to the James River outbreak, DEQ officials said. The outbreak was discovered Monday by Bill Street, executive director of the James River Association, an environmental group, and Chuck Frederickson, whom the association employs as the James' riverkeeper -- a monitor of pollution and other problems. The algae covered several square miles, Street and Frederickson said. The microscopic plants turned the brownish-green water a light green. Contact Rex Springston at (804) 649-6453 or rspringston@timesdispatch.com Algae bloom in James The discoloration is called 'a sign of a polluted river' by an environmental group BY REX SPRINGSTON TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jul 28, 2005 Chuck Frederickson, an employee of the James River Association (left) and Bill Street, the association's executive director, discovered the algae outbreak Monday and returned for further examinations. JOE MAHONEY/TIMES-DISPATCH HOPEWELL About 1 1/2 miles below the Benjamin Harrison Bridge, the brownish-green James River turned light green. The discoloration yesterday was caused by a rapid outbreak of tiny plants called algae. "It's a sign of a polluted river," said Bill Street, executive director of the James River Association, an environmental group. Street and Chuck Frederickson, an employee of the group, discovered the outbreak Monday and took to the river again yesterday to check it out. Street said the outbreak was a symptom of a longstanding problem throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries -- an overabundance of nutrients from sewage plants, farm fields, suburban fertilizers and other sources. Nutrients occur naturally, but too much of a good thing is a bad thing. The overabundant nutrients fuel the growth of too much algae, which suck oxygen from the water when they die. That can make water inhospitable for fish, crabs and other river life. The algae also cloud the water, blocking the sun and contributing to the death of river grasses that fish hide in. "This area here used to be blanketed with grasses in the '30s," said Street, as the group's 23-foot skiff drifted about 2 miles below the bridge. Now, he said, "They're gone." In many ways, however, the river looked fine. Fish jumped. A bald eagle, once rare here, glided over the river then winged back into some trees on an island. An osprey swooped down and tried to catch a fish. Tough water-pollution laws have cleaned the river considerably in the past 30 years, experts say. But Street said there is still a lot of work to do. "In a lot of respects, the river looks beautiful, but it's sort of like the beauty is only skin deep. You've got a lot of prob lems going on down below." An untrained eye might not even notice the algae. The change in water color was subtle. But if you looked closely enough, as the boat drifted through the algae, you could see swirls created in the water by the microscopic but superabundant plants. The algae appeared to cover several square miles of the river. The state Department of Environmental Quality investigates algae outbreaks, often called blooms. A worker took water samples yesterday. Tests should tell the DEQ today what type of algae is proliferating in the James. Some types of algae can be harmful to people and fish, although the most harmful types occur more often in salty water, DEQ officials say. The water just below Hopewell is fresh. The resort town of Colonial Beach temporarily closed its beaches last summer when a toxic form of algae, which could cause skin rashes and upset stomachs, contaminated the slightly salty Potomac River. The nutrient overload in the James and the hot, sunny weather of the past few days provided perfect conditions for the algae to grow, said Alan Pollock, the DEQ's water-quality director. Pollock said he expects the James River outbreak to last a week or so. The State Water Control Board considered a regulation in June that would set specific limits for chlorophyll, an indicator of algae, in the James. But the board withheld final action in order to hear more comments from the public. The board may adopt the final rule in late September. Street urged people to fight for tough controls on the algae. "A problem has certainly been documented here," Street said as the boat bobbed in the unnaturally green water. "This is just showing an example of it." Contact Rex Springston at (804) 649-6453 or rspringston@timesdispatch.com

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Originally posted by CA-BIODIESEL
I'm no expert, but it sounds like the beginning stages of eutrophication induced by high levels of phosphorus run-off. Hopefully this is not a harmful algal bloom (HAB) from some type of cyanobacteria. Considering that the latest tests showed 1.9 parts of phosphorus per million of water just above the Huguenot Bridge, I would assume the State Department of Environmental Quality will track the source of this phosphorus before very long. Just out of curiousity, has the James River ever had a history of problems with Eurasian Watermilfoil? TJ..

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Sounds like a great lead! People like you will head the algae revolution (if there is one...) peace

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Some types of algae can be harmful to people and fish, although the most harmful types occur more often in salty water, DEQ officials say. The water just below Hopewell is fresh. The resort town of Colonial Beach temporarily closed its beaches last summer when a toxic form of algae, which could cause skin rashes and upset stomachs, contaminated the slightly salty Potomac River. The nutrient overload in the James and the hot, sunny weather of the past few days provided perfect conditions for the algae to grow, said Alan Pollock, the DEQ's water-quality director. Pollock said he expects the James River outbreak to last a week or so.

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The bold statement is not necessarily true. Although Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) are probably more common in brackish or salty water, they do occur in fresh water. Species of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that form HABs in fresh water are listed here. Microcystis Aeruginosa Anabena Circinalis Anabena Flos-aquae Aphanizomenon Flos-aquae Cylindrospermopsis Raciborskii I would forward this information to Rex Springston and pursue the Department of Environmental Quality to find out what type of blue-green algae blooms have been discovered in James River. This may also help you with your research to determine their value in biofuel production. TJ..

Subject: James River Foam phosphorus stations, June 2006 Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2006 13:50:42 -0400 From: "Alling,Mark" <msalling@deq.virginia.gov> To: biogasoline@yahoo.com Here is the URL for total phosphorus at Pony Pasture (Station ID = 2-JMS115.29): https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS115.29&p_storet_code=00665 Here is the URL for total phosphorus at Watkins Landing (Station ID = 2-JMS127.50): https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS127.50&p_storet_code=00665 There are 12 more foam investigation stations between these two sites, from which you will want to check for spikes in total phosphorus. Here they are: 2-JMS116.43, 2-JMS116.97, 2-JMS117.35, 2-JMS117.81, 2-JMS117.93, 2-JMS118.10, 2-JMS118.42, 2-JMS118.47, 2-JMS118.66, 2-JMS119.14, 2-JMS119.16, 2-JMS123.23 We sampled these on June 13, 2006. The results should be available on the DEQ website next week. -Mark Ailing, Virginia DEQ The Virginia DEQ, has graciously provided the Algae–to-biofuels research community oil links to their phosphorous monitoring database. Now we have a chance to try to bracket the input location of the phosphorous. Hopefully, this will lead to a likely location for the phosphorous input and allow us to locate the likely site of the algae bloom that apparently released a LOT of algal oil into the James River and foamed about ½ to 1 mile of this vast riverbed in early June 2006. I would urge all interested parties near the fall of the James river to begin to take water samples and label them with the date and location. If you live nears Richmond VA and are into bioDiesel, in the next week(s) try to plan some time to take a fun detective trip to the James River to help locate the high-oil producing algae bloom and obtain some live samples to grow, freeze-dry, and catalogue to obtain a pure source of this mystery oil producing algae for research. A fresh water high-oil producing algae strain, could be extremely valuable for producing biomass biofuels, from just collected rainwater, sunshine, nitrogen, phosphorous, and trace elements. Dispensing with the need for salinity, could greatly simplify water changes, and simplify waste water disposal, or recycling of water from photobioreactors, because, there would be little or no impact on aquifers or soils when using salt free waters (provided the phosphorous and nitrogen were first fully consumed by the algae). So, here, AFTER Reconstruction, is a complete list of the Virginia DEQ’s (Department of Environmental Quality) including the 12 new (hastily implemented) “River Foam Investigation Stations” which are additional phosphorous monitoring stations on the James River above the fall line. You can now go to these URL’s and check for the phosphorous levels in the James River Water as soon as they are posted, as the results are returned from the lab! As Mark Ailing Said: ” We sampled these on June 13, 2006. The results should be available on the DEQ website next week.” That means the phosphorous results should start appearing on the DEQ webpages about 19-22 June 2006 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS115.29&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS116.43&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS116.97&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS117.35&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS117.81&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS117.93&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS118.10&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS118.42&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS118.47&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS118.66&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS119.14&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS119.16&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS123.23&p_storet_code=00665 https://www.deq.state.va.us/webapp/wqm_station.get_ana_by_sta_storet_parm?p_sta_id=2-JMS127.50&p_storet_code=00665 In the past few days I have made numerous contacts with the VA DEQ and the VCU biology Dept. I am trying to get some samples pushed by DEQ to NOAA for total lipids and Fatty acids analysis. I also talked to some concerned fire dept officials who re worried that if the sun bakes of the water, our river then could have pockets of flammable algae oils lying on top of river rocks. There was a fire department tanker truck sent to the river this morning to investigate, and perhaps wash off any oil from the area where the public will congregate at riverside this weekend for the long planned X-Terra games on 17-18 June 2006. “Get ready for two days filled with fun and adventure on the James! The Capital One Adventure Games will feature competition in nine different outdoor sports – including the James River Scramble 10k trail run, XTERRA East Championship and MTB Urban Assault Mountain Bike Race. http://www.sportsbackers.org/ Buy your tickets now for the Action Sports World Tour! See Alien Ant Farm Perform! We also need volunteers! Print out a volunteer form and mail or fax it in.” Perhaps this was an overabundance of caution by the fire department. I have been urged not to reveal all I know, however I can assure you, that the fact that a mystery foam containing a flammable oil, (perhaps from algae, or perhaps from dumping petroleum oils), is getting some very serious attention in Virginia, by some very concerned local, state, and federal officials including some unexpected alphabet-soup type agencies. In any event, it appears that a LOT of oil was either dumped/or naturally produced by algae in the River to produce so much “Mystery Foam.” Even if this was a totally natural occurrence, it has revealed how difficult it is to track down the source of such an event. I have certainly learned that far, far, fewer recent River water samples exist, than I previously assumed were routinely taken! © 2006 Patrick Ward 14 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com

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Originally posted by CA-BIODIESEL

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Some types of algae can be harmful to people and fish, although the most harmful types occur more often in salty water, DEQ officials say. The water just below Hopewell is fresh. The resort town of Colonial Beach temporarily closed its beaches last summer when a toxic form of algae, which could cause skin rashes and upset stomachs, contaminated the slightly salty Potomac River. The nutrient overload in the James and the hot, sunny weather of the past few days provided perfect conditions for the algae to grow, said Alan Pollock, the DEQ's water-quality director. Pollock said he expects the James River outbreak to last a week or so.

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The bold statement is not necessarily true. Although Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) are probably more common in brackish or salty water, they do occur in fresh water. Species of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that form HABs in fresh water are listed here. Microcystis Aeruginosa Anabena Circinalis Anabena Flos-aquae Aphanizomenon Flos-aquae Cylindrospermopsis Raciborskii I would forward this information to Rex Springston and pursue the Department of Environmental Quality to find out what type of blue-green algae blooms have been discovered in James River. This may also help you with your research to determine their value in biofuel production. TJ..

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Foam in James River growing? BY REX SPRINGSTON TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jun 17, 2006 The strange foam in the James River seems to be showing up more often, a key river watcher says. "It appears to be occurring on a daily basis now, but not always with the same intensity," said Ralph White, director of the city's James River Park system. State environmental officials say the foam could be linked to high phosphorus levels that recent tests found in the James. One water sample, obtained June 2 near the Huguenot Bridge, contained a phosphorus level 22 times higher than the past 10-year average and 190 times higher than the level expected in a healthy river. "The bottom line is we don't know what's happening in the river now," said state Department of Environmental Quality spokesman Bill Hayden. Test results from new water samples, taken Tuesday, may shed light on the mystery, he said. Health experts say high phospho- rus poses no threat to people who swim in the river or drink city water, which comes from the James. But the high phosphorus could mean the river is being subjected to pollution that could damage it ecologically. Phosphorus causes algae that can lower a river's oxygen and hurt fish. Two DEQ scientists took 14 water samples Tuesday, starting about 2 miles upriver from the Huguenot Bridge and finishing at Pony Pasture Rapids -- about 3 miles in all. The results, which might help home in on a source of pollution, should be available next week, Hayden said White, of James River Park, said he began seeing patches of lacy, white foam in early spring. He did not see it every day, but he acknowledged he wasn't looking as intently for it back then. Since this past Sunday, the foam has appeared every day but Wednesday, when rain seemed to suppress it. Some foam is natural on rivers, but White said he had never seen anything like this on the James. The foamy patches sometimes are visible from bank to bank. The foam usually shows up in early to midmorning before dissipating around noon. It is most often reported between the Huguenot Bridge and Pony Pasture Rapids, a distance of about a mile. However, it has also been reported above the bridge and below the rapids. Phosphorus is used in some detergents, which could explain the foam. Also, phosphorus can fuel the growth of plants that die and create foam. High levels of normally helpful nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen plague many Virginia rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. The chemicals can indirectly lower oxygen levels. Sources of phosphorus in rivers include the runoff of fertilizer from farms and yards as well as wastewater discharges from factories and sewage treatment plants. Experts are amazed and puzzled by the phosphorus levels found in two water samples taken June 2. One sample from near the Huguenot Bridge contained 1.9 parts of phosphorus per million of water. A second, from Pony Pasture Rapids, contained 0.58 ppm. A healthy river should contain about 0.01 ppm of phosphorus, experts say. Tests for the James near the Huguenot Bridge from 1996 through early 2006 show an average phosphorus level of 0.087 ppm -- more than eight times higher than what's healthy. That recent 1.9 ppm reading was 22 times higher than the 10-year average and 190 times higher than the healthy level. This week, Hayden said those latest results showed phosphorus levels about 10 times higher than normal. He said yesterday that was a rough estimate made before looking at past data in detail. The 0.58 reading was about 7 times higher than average. All those numbers mean this: The James already was afflicted with too much phosphorus, and now it may be getting an even bigger dose. Virginia Commonwealth University biology professor Paul Bukaveckas said the 1.9 ppm reading was extraordinarily high -- the kind of level expected to come right out of the pipe of a sewage-treatment plant without modern phosphorus controls. But a single test result doesn't indicate a trend, or a deterioration of the James, said Bukaveckas, an expert on nutrients such as phosphorus in rivers. "It does raise a concern about whether there is a new source [of pollution] or this is an old source that has somehow gotten worse." River lovers appear to be taking the developments calmly. Chandler Martin of Richmond, a salesman who stopped by Pony Pasture Rapids on Thursday, said he was more concerned about things such as trash. Pointing to some minnows passing below little rafts of foam, Martin said, "They're swimming around like they couldn't care less." Susan Mulloy of Richmond and Cheryl Girardi of Chesterfield County, sitting on rocks just downriver, barely noticed the small amount of foam that flowed past them at midday. "It looks like you wash your car and it goes down the street," Mulloy said. Not far away, children waded, teenagers swam, turtles basked on rocks and baby ducks followed their mothers. "Isn't this beautiful?" asked Mulloy. "It's a gorgeous day," Girardi said. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. Times-Dispatch staff writer Timothy Gorman contributed to this report.

Which species of fresh water cyanobacteria in showing up in the James River? A. Microcystis Aeruginosa B. Anabena Circinalis C. Anabena Flos-aquae D. Aphanizomenon Flos-aquae E. Cylindrospermopsis Raciborskii F. None of the above TJ..

We are still trying to determine the source of the algae bloom. I am preparing to grab 250 gallons of river water for growth medium, and shock it with swimming pool h2o2 to sterilize against invader species. When the h202 has dissipated, it should leave pretty much sterile river water. Then I will try to inoculate 5 gallon pails of water with samples from about a dozen locations. We are still awaiting phosphorous test results from last week to try to bracket the location via high phosphorous levels. You can look at those test levels as they come in at the URL’s I posted last week. I would like to know if you think shocking the medium with h202 is a good idea? © 2006 Patrick Ward 19 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com .

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Originally posted by CA-BIODIESEL
Which species of fresh water cyanobacteria in showing up in the James River? A. Microcystis Aeruginosa B. Anabena Circinalis C. Anabena Flos-aquae D. Aphanizomenon Flos-aquae E. Cylindrospermopsis Raciborskii F. None of the above TJ..

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The “James River VA Mystery Foam” story goes national! I have previously posted the local news stories in the “Maryland, Virginia, & DC Biodiesel Initiative.” Now The Associated Press has picked up this story for national release. The Richmond VA fire department was concerned that the algae oils sitting on river rocks once baked free of water by the sun could catch fire during the weekend fireworks display over the river, at the end of the Exterra Games. These algal oils do burn quite well too. Officials try to pinpoint source of James River pollution Associated Press Jun 17, 2006 RICHMOND, Va. - A foamy substance swirling in the James River near Richmond could be linked to high levels of phosphorus, which could mean that the waterway is being subjected to an unusually large amount of ecologically damaging pollution, state environmental officials said. One sample taken earlier this month showed 1.9 parts of the nutrient per million parts of water, 190 times higher than the level expected in a healthy river, and 22 times higher than the past 10-year average. "The bottom line is we don't know what's happening in the river right now," Department of Environmental Quality spokesman Bill Hayden said. Additional water samples were taken last week to help track down the pollution source; the results should be available soon, Hayden said. Sources of phosphorus include fertilizer runoff from farms and yards, and wastewater discharges from factories and sewage-treatment plants. Some detergents also use phosphorus, which fuels the growth of plants and depletes the oxygen levels in the water, which in turn harms aquatic animals. Health experts say high phosphorus poses no threat to people who swim in the river or drink city water, which comes from the James. Many rivers and the Chesapeake Bay are polluted with phosphorus and nitrogen, which also comes from runoff and wastewater. The foam is appearing daily in varying amounts, sometimes stretching from bank to bank, said Ralph White, director of the city's James River Park system. Some foam is natural on rivers, but White said he had never seen anything like this on the James. Virginia Commonwealth University biology professor Paul Bukaveckas said the phosphorus reading was extraordinarily high, the kind of level expected to come right out of the pipe of a sewage-treatment plant without modern phosphorus controls. "It does raise a concern about whether there is a new source (of pollution) or this is an old source that has somehow gotten worse," said Bukaveckas, an expert on river nutrient pollution. Patrick Ward 19 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com

That ought to keep the DEQ on their toes to answer the above multiple choice question. They should have the answer by now! TJ..

has it occurred to anyone that this may simply be the result of an illegal chemical spill? it happens all the time ... www.ecogenicsresearchcenter.org Marc Orion Cardoso

Considering the rapid spike in phosphorus, I would say that is one of the most likely candidates. TJ..

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Originally posted by ecogenics3
has it occurred to anyone that this may simply be the result of an illegal chemical spill? it happens all the time ... www.ecogenicsresearchcenter.org Marc Orion Cardoso

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I'm sure that has occured to many people, doesn't mean that the foam isn't from an algal bloom. /maintaining optimism :)

The foam has been produced continuously for over two weeks now. This is not a little creek-like River, like to Rio Grande River out in Texas and New Mexico folks. The James River is a huge river that drains over 25% of Virginia with headwaters hundreds of miles away from the mouth. The dilution rate alone would suggest that any small oil spill or dumping activity would have to be ongoing to continue to foam the River. I think even accidental farm runoff is being discounted for pretty much the same reason. Likely some accidental phosphorous time-release process is occurring, perhaps from an old corroded sewer pipe somewhere or sediment being disturbed. I doubt any dumpers would continue to keep dumping considering the scrutiny the river is now under. I have started trying to culture some algae from frozen foam, in a closed photobioreactor, to see what grows, using some James River water taken at Pony Pasture, as the nutrient broth. Just a name, no Ponies now poop there! The VA DEQ sure is taking its sweet time getting the Phosphorous data on the web so we can bracket the source. All we know for the last week is that the 147 bridge read at 1.9 Parts Per Million. Really high! © 2006 Patrick Ward 21 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com .

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Originally posted by ecogenics3
has it occurred to anyone that this may simply be the result of an illegal chemical spill? it happens all the time ... www.ecogenicsresearchcenter.org Marc Orion Cardoso

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Mystery on the James Samples collected along 200 miles in probe of anomalies BY REX SPRINGSTON TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jun 22, 2006 State scientists collected water samples from about 200 miles of the James River yesterday in search of the cause of a strange foam and other problems in the river. On foot and by boat, five scientists took samples at 31 spots from just above Lynchburg to just below Hopewell. DEQ spokesman Bill Hayden said the stretch may be the largest the agency has checked in one day. "It's definitely one of the most extensive monitoring efforts we have ever made." DEQ officials decided late Tuesday to launch the massive river checkup. Test results should be back in about a week. Before wading into the river below the U.S. 522 bridge near Maidens, DEQ biologist Mark Alling said the scientists want to see "if we can bracket the source" of anomalies in the James. Those anomalies include the foam, found in Richmond this spring and recently reported in the Lynchburg area; high levels in Richmond of phosphorus, a nutrient that becomes a pollutant in excessive amounts; and an outbreak of algae this week in the Hopewell area. Alling, the DEQ's regional water-monitoring manager, found tiny algae floating in the James in Richmond yesterday near the Huguenot Bridge. The algae are a sign of stress in the river. For people, the algae could be harmless, or they could cause skin rashes and other problems for swimmers. "Based on our experience with the river, we don't see any immediate cause for concern," Hayden said. Virginia Department of Health spokeswoman Kelly Lobanov said the algae will be tested to see whether they are harmful. She was unsure last night when those results would come back. "If it is a harmful [type of algae], we will be informed, and then we will take immediate action," she said. The city's Department of Public Utilities tests water it takes from the James every day, said spokesman Bill Farrar. "We've seen no indication it's not safe to drink." The department's treatment plant provides water to customers in Richmond and through wholesale contracts to Henrico, Hanover and Chesterfield counties. The department estimates that about 500,000 people in the area drink its water. Water samples collected along the James yesterday should show, among other things, phosphorus levels and the amounts of natural chemicals that cause foam. Meanwhile yesterday, DEQ scientists involved in the river checkup confirmed reports of an algae outbreak in the Hopewell area. That algae also will be tested to determine whether they are harmful to people. A representative of the James River Association, an environmental group, reported the outbreak on Monday and Tuesday. Outbreaks, or blooms, of algae hurt the river by blocking light that river grasses need. When the algae die, they consume oxygen that fish and other creatures need. Excess nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen are common causes of algae outbreaks. The nutrients come from sewage plants, farm manure and fertilizers, suburban fertilizers and other sources. The state is working to curb the flow of nutrients to waterways by requiring improvements at sewage plants and by providing incentives for farmers to do things such as fencing cattle out of rivers. Contact staff writer Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6453. Staff writer David Ress contributed to this report. Map and James River Images: Exploring the James River http://www.discoverrichmond.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/Page/RTD_DRSectionFront&c=Page&cid=1137836330564 Related Articles: Mystery on the James Foam in James appears to be growing, official says River lovers are taking the foam mystery in stride James River foam puzzles officials Phosphorus causing foam on river? James River foam likely a natural phenomenon Mystery brews along the James River http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188293404 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188349960 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188458068 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188491743 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188556104 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188556854 2006 Patrick Ward 22 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com

20 June 2006 I collected some james River water to use as a nutrient broth to try to grow (hopefully) in captivity, the source algae that made the James River Mystery Foam. I placed some hydrogen peroxide in the water to shock sterilize the nutrient water by poisoning any pre-existing algae with poisonous excess oxygen. Then after about 8 hours I, I filled the solar powered photobioreactor with the sterilized James River water, and started the sparger pump to replace the high dissolved oxygen with air. 21 June 2006 After 16 hours of sparger gas bubbling in, I deemed the nutrient safe to inoculate. 22 June 2006 At 12:01 AM, I placed a frozen sample of the mystery foam in a solar powered photobioreactor filled with shock-sterilized James River water as the nutrient broth. I left the sparger pump running and went to bed. At 9:00Am I looked at the photobioreactor. The sparger bubbles were growing way larger than normal, indicating that a new foam was beginning to form! I jokingly told my friend, to “keep an ax handy”, and call me on the cell phone “if any humanoid shaped vegetables start to crawl out of that thing” Then I asked her, did you ever see the movie “it came from outer space?” © 2006 Patrick Ward 22 June 2006 With Best regards FREE ENERGY Patrick Ward Richmond VA fossilfreedomATyahoo.com fossilfreedom@yahoo.com fossilfreedomATyahoogroups.com fossilfreedom@yahoogroups.com biogasolineATyahoo.com biogasoline@yahoo.com biogasolineATyahoogroups.com biogasoline@yahoogroups.com http://www.fossilfreedom.com