Council responds to algal bloom
Date published: 27 May 2016
Townsville City Council environmental staff are responding to a fish kill caused by a suspected algal bloom in a section of Ross Creek and Woolcock Street canal.
Clean-up crews are on site collecting the dead fish, which are mainly very small and include boney brim.
Council’s Integrated Sustainability Services executive manager Greg Bruce said a combination of lower water levels and warmer than usual temperatures was the likely cause of the algal bloom.
“We have staff in the creek and canal cleaning-up and taking water samples,” Mr Bruce said.
“We suspect the lower tides and unseasonal warm weather has triggered the algal bloom, which has in turn caused low dissolved oxygen levels in the water.
“Staff have installed an aeration pump at the Lakes end and opened the tidal gates at the Causeway to their maximum level to flush the system as much as possible through the next few tide cycles.”
Council ISS staff will continue to monitor the water quality and have sent samples for testing.
The relevant state government departments have been notified and are assisting with investigations.
