Fly Fishing Colorado

1/27Rock Snot

Didymosphenia geminata commonly known as didymo or rock snot is increasingly clogging our rivers and waterways.

1. What does rock snot do?
   Didaymo or rock snot is a diatom (single celled) algae that grows on rocks in a continually wet environment like rivers and streams. It attaches it self to rocks and the stream bottom and then produces massive algae blooms (lots of biomass and not blooms as in flowers). These massive blooms smother out the insect life necessary for fish food. Sometimes the insect life destruction is so severe that it results in almost total destruction of native fish populations such as the Rapid Creek, SD brown trout fishery.
2. Where is it Found?
   • Rock Snot is most often found in waters with a stable flow such as tail waters below a dam or in streams fed by lakes. It is not often found on lake bottoms.  It has been increasingly found in the Northwestern U.S., around Vancouver, British Columbia and as far away as New Zealand.
3. What does it look like?
   • Rock Snot is a good name. It is brownish yellow in color. It appears slimy but feels like cotton wool to the touch. The brownish yellow color comes from the stalks which produce the massive growths and contain little chlorophyll.
4. How does it spread?
   • It is not known for sure how didymo spreads but widespread traveling by humans is suspected. Especially sportsmen who frequent rivers that may infected with rock snot. All it takes is one cell trapped on wet waders, wet suits, kayaks or other equipment to transport this noxious alga to uninfected waters.
5. Can it be killed?
   Yes! New Zealand scientists have found copper chelate works as an algaecide to curb growth by reducing the biomass that didymo produces. Equipment disinfectants include:
   • cleaning equipment for at least one minute in water 60 degrees Centigrade or 140 degrees Fahrenheit
   • 7 oz of bleach added to 2.6 gal of water to make a 2% solution
   • 2 cups of salt, antiseptic hand cleaner or dishwashing liquid added to 2.6 gal of water for a 5% solution
   • drying for 48 hours after the item is dry to the touch.
   • more information www.biosecurity.govt.nz/didymo
6. Are there other uses for didymo? 
   • Yes!  It turns out rock snot can produce oil.  That’s right OIL!  Algae can be used to produce about 4,000 gallons of oil per year.  The Montana State University scientist researching the subject believes that it can go far beyond that.  All rock snot requires for growth is lots of sunshine and dirty water.  One thing for sure, we have more dirty water than the Saudis, Iraq and Iran to grow the stuff.

   In closing, keep in mind rock snot or didymo is a noxious algae that lives in streams and rivers.  It can kill out entire stream fisheries.  It is suspected that traveling sportsmen spread the algae by moving from infected waters to uninfected waters without properly disinfecting equipment. The best part is that rock snot can be used to produce oil.

   As responsible sportsmen of all kinds, let’s focus on protecting our fisheries by preventing the spread of this noxious algae through properly disinfecting our equipment.

Reference: http://www.midcurrent.com/news/2008/01/whats_next_rock_snot_farming.html;  http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0301/p13s01-sten.html;   http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=775&fr=1&sts

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