copper sulfate – Aquarius-Systems

Michigan Investigates Animal Deaths After Chemical Treatment to Control Aquatic Plants

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 18:09:16 +0000

State officials say they’re investigating the chemical treatment of an Allegan County lake after the reported deaths of a dog and wildlife.

The state-issued permit allowed the contractor to use copper sulfate, flumioxazin and diquat dibromide along the shore of seven properties to control aquatic plants and algae on Dumont Lake, located about five miles north of Allegan.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says it was alerted to several cases of sick dogs in the area of Dumont Lake Campground, including a dog that died.

EGLE said it also received reports of two dead turtles, a dead raccoon and approximately 20 dead birds at the lake. An Allegan County Health Department employee told WOOD TV-8 the department had no reported human illnesses tied to Dumont Lake.

Read More https://www.woodtv.com/news/allegan-county/state-investigating-dumont-lake-treatment-after-animal-deaths/

Copper Sulfate Algae Treatment Leads to Fish Kill in Colorado Reservoir

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 19:30:44 +0000

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating Johnstown officials after their attempt to treat an algae outbreak left nearly 1,000 fish dead.

The Greeley Tribune reports that Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill says a worker put a copper sulfate into the town’s reservoir this summer to treat the algae. She says chemical ended up suffocating 972 fish.

The National Pesticide Information Center says copper sulfate can cause sudden plant death, causing fish to suffocate because of depleted oxygen and clogged gills.

Overuse of Copper Sulfate Leads to Sterile Lakes

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 13:57:27 +0000

Copper sulfate is an inorganic compound that combines sulfur with copper. It can kill bacteria, algae, roots, plants, snails, and fungi. Many local farm stores keep the product on store shelves helping to make it the most used, and the most economical algae control available for ponds and lakes. Copper Sulfate is ineffective in the long term unless combined with other management methods. Both filamentous and planktonic algae can grow back quickly following herbicide applications.

Copper is a heavy metal and when it is applied to water it will sink to the bottom and accumulate in the sediment rather than staying suspended in the water column. The accumulation of copper sulfate after application can create a sterile water bottom where important nutrients and bacteria that fish and other aquatic life need are killed off. Copper sulfate can weaken the aquatic food chain by killing off weaker fish who need the nutrients to survive, this leads to overpopulation of some species for short periods of time (until they die off because they are without a food source). It also creates over-oxygenated water which can also cause plants to die. Lastly, animals that drink from this water may be at increased risk of injury or death.

A long-term study of lakes in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes in southern Minnesota has demonstrated that the lake bottom is almost devoid of life, and that the algae blooms that were the impetus for treating the lakes in the first place, have become worse over time, in spite of being treated with copper sulfate every year. The lakes have effectively become biological deserts.