Algae like green oil paint covers China lake - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Algae like green oil paint covers China lake
Fri Jun 1, 2007 6:10AM EDT

WUXI, China, June 1 Reuters) - Officials promised swift steps
on Friday to clean up China's third-largest lake after algae,
floating like green oil paint, choked off water to this city
of more than 2.3 million amid a public outcry about pollution.

Taihu Lake in Jiangsu province has been struck by a rapidly
spreading canopy of algae which has left water supplies for
nearby Wuxi undrinkable.

Convoys of trucks have been bringing bottled water for
residents, with the supermarket price slashed by government
order to stop profiteering.

-snip-

The provincial Communist Party chief, Li Yuanchao, said the
water was improving as officials drew flows from the Yangtze
River and stopped pumping in waste, according to a report
posted by the State Environmental Protection Administration
(SEPA) (www.sepa.gov.cn).

But he acknowledged the scare exposed deeper failings.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSPEK9386920070601

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Source: Shanghai Daily

Massive flood of fresh water diverted to Taihu
By Winny Wang 2007-6-1

CHINA'S water resource regulator has diverted 190-million cubic
meters of water from the Yangtze River into algae-polluted Taihu
Lake to improve its water quality and allow a clean water supply
to resume to the residents of Wuxi, Oriental Morning Post
reported today.

The water level in the lake has been raised to more than three
meters deep and experts said the higher level will lower the lake's
temperature and stop algae breeding, the report said.

-snip-

The algae bloom in Taihu formed because water levels are at their
lowest in 50 years and the temperature is the highest in 25 years,
leading to excess nutrients, according to experts.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2007/200706/20070601/article_318060.htm