Over the last two decades, their research found Lake Michigan has actually transformed in color from green to blue as invasive mussel species have caused a massive decrease in the amount of algae in its waters.
Why is the water blue in Chicago?
The Chicago river has a distinctive color (and I don’t mean St. Patrick’s Day green) that is the result of the river’s clay bottom, lake water, and algae: a lovely blue-green, best seen on warm weather days. (The lake water has only been part of the river’s composition since the river was reversed in 1900.)
Why is the water so blue in Michigan?
The blue in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron is sediment brought to the surface when strong winds churned the lakes. The green in Lake Erie and in Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay is algae, which builds on the surface when winds are calm.
Why does lake water look blue?
Water molecules absorb longer, visible wavelengths (e.g. red light, 600-700 nm) while shorter, blue wavelengths (< 500 nm) pass deeper into the water column. These short wavelengths scatter to create a deep blue color in clear lakes.
Why is Lake Michigan water green?
Cladophora is a green algae found naturally along the Great Lakes coastlines. It does not produce toxins the way blue-green algae can. It grows on submerged rocks, logs or other hard surfaces. Because of Lake Michigan’s excellent water clarity, it has been observed growing underwater at depths of more than 30 feet.
Is it safe to swim in Chicago River?
When there hasn’t been a recent storm, the Chicago River is actually much safer to swim in than it was just a few years ago. That’s because approximately 70 percent of the water in the river comes directly from the wastewater treatment plants, and that wastewater just got a lot cleaner.
Is it illegal to jump into the Chicago River?
City law prohibits swimming in so-called unsafe waters, including the Chicago River, according to Chicago Police Officer Jose Estrada, a department spokesman. The Chicago River has long been considered unsafe to drink or swim in, and even a quick dip in it may be harmful on its own.
Is Lake Michigan safe to swim in?
Always use caution and never swim alone. A Moderate Swim Risk implies that breaking waves and currents are expected at the beach. Stay away from dangerous areas like piers, breakwalls, and river outlets at these times.
Is Lake Michigan toxic?
According to an analysis by the Chicago Tribune, the Oak Creek plant is the largest source of toxic metals being discharged into Lake Michigan, dumping more than 2,000 pounds of potentially brain-damaging toxic metals into the water last year.
Can you drink water from Lake Michigan?
However, despite its small size, the Illinois portion of the Lake Michigan watershed is home to half of the total population of Illinois and the lake itself is the largest public drinking water supply in the state, serving nearly 6.6 million people (of a total of over 10 million lake-wide).
Is it safe to swim in green lake water?
If you see a yellow WARNING sign at Green Lake, there are toxic algae in the lake. The lake is not safe for people or pets. Swim only where a lifeguard is present.
Why is water more blue in some places?
Basically, says NASA, “the more phytoplankton in the water, the greener it is…. the less phytoplankton, the bluer it is.”
What makes lake water turquoise?
Water can absorb all colors except for a couple. However, there are two major wavelengths of light that aren’t absorbed. Those colors are Blue and Green. In fact, water acts as a reflector against Blue and Green, thus causing the water to appear in a turquoise color.
What is floating in Lake Michigan?
The short answer is they’re water cribs — and unfortunately there’s no way to explore them. Water cribs are structures that help channel lake water into tunnels where it can then be carried into the city.
Which Great Lake has no fish?
Lake Michigan
Nearly two decades later, the same progression is happening in Lake Michigan. “There’s an old Chinese saying, ‘When there is crystal-clear water, there is no fish,’ ” said Yu-Chun Kao, a postdoctoral scientist at Michigan State University.
How dirty is Lake Michigan?
Despite this, Lake Michigan is the most polluted of the Great Lakes, according to estimates by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Last year, nearly 22 million pounds of plastic were dumped into the Great Lakes — over half of which were dumped into Lake Michigan — according to estimates by RIT.
What’s at the bottom of the Chicago River?
Now to get all literal, at the very bottom of the river is rock — Niagara limestone, to be exact. According to David M. Solzman’s book The Chicago River, the ancient bedrock of the river was formed a few hundred million years ago when what’s now Chicago was covered by a salty sea.
Why does the Chicago River smell?
In the 1800s, the river was teeming with human waste, as well as animal products from the meat packing industry – causing foul odors to emanate throughout the city. To make things even more challenging, much of Chicago’s drinking water came from these infected waters.
Where does Chicago dump its sewage?
Jardine Plant, and the world’s largest wastewater treatment plant, the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant.
Is Chicago sinking?
The city of Chicago is sinking, geologically speaking. Tony Briscoe at The Chicago Tribune reports that the Windy City and all of the towering structures built on its iconic skyline are at least four inches lower than they were a century ago. In the next 100 years, the city will continue sinking at the same rate.
Why is the Illinois River so dirty?
Pollution Threats to our Rivers
Literally thousands of pollutants find their way into Illinois rivers. These chemical and biological pollutants include pesticides, fertilizers, nutrients, metals, organochlorines, pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and sediment.