Why does the water turn a brown-red color during the early spring in some areas of our local reservoirs?
Contrary to popular belief, this odd coloration is the result of a phytoplankton bloom not a result of the reservoir experiencing a spring “turn over”. As the water warms in the spring, phytoplankton (algae, diatoms, dinoflagellates) reproduce at a tremendous rate. Some of these organisms are brown or red in color and cause the coloration when they are abundant.
