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Help ensure MPR remains a resource that brings Minnesotans together. Donate today. Listen Ask a 'sotan: Why are the rivers different colors? Share Twitter Facebook Email.
The confluence of the Minnesota River, on left, and the Mississippi in an undated photo. The Minnesota River crosses the state, emptying into the Mississippi River. Your support matters. Support MPR News. Program Schedule Station Directory. Naturally occurring bacteria create these globs. Purple Slime Orange Slime, Fluff or Crust — coating or orange or orange—red materials that covers underwater structures. This condition does not pose a direct environmental threat.
However, if conditions persist, contact the Dept. Orange Slime, Fluff or Crust. Gray Water. Brown Water — water ranging in color from light-tea to chocolate milk; it may have a rotten egg odor. Brown Water. Multi-Color Water — various or uniform color, other than brown, green or gray. Multi-color Water. Dry weather pipe discharge — discharges during dry weather conditions that include odors such as sewage, gasoline, or chemical smells; colored water and excessive vegetation around outfall pipes.
Green Water — ranging from blue green to bright green color and may impart odor. Green Water. Green Flecks — resembling floating blue-green paint chips or grass clippings.
Water in pools, or other slow moving areas, may appear dark brown or black. This is caused by decomposition of organic material. Similar to steeping a tea bag in your mug, leaves and other natural organic material release tannins which can cause a stream to turn a darker color. This is a natural occurrence and is not toxic. The fuzzy, bright orange substance seen in the picture to the left is often a type of bacteria.
This bacteria takes iron dissolved in groundwater and oxidizes it a chemical reaction similar to forming rust , drawing energy from the process of turning it into fuzzy orange gunk. Oxidation prevents iron from dissolving in the water and produces either an orange colored slime or an oily sheen, like the picture in the "Bacteria or Petroleum: How to Tell the Difference?
This indicates that the stream is partially fed by groundwater. To distinguish between iron oxidizing bacteria and petroleum, break up the oily sheen on the water with a stick.
If the sheen stays broken up in pieces, then it is most likely iron oxidizing bacteria; the same as the orange slime above — just in a different form. Iron oxidizing bacteria is not harmful and may accumulate for several months until it is dislodged by high water flows. If the sheen goes back together, then it may be a petroleum spill. In , the industrial iron and steel leak turned to blood-red. A similar situation was repeated 10 years ago.
This river in the south of the country also discolored very similarly. The Yangtze River, China's third largest river, remained red after heavy flood rains that brought large amounts of sludge into the river. Ecological disasters of similar dimensions are common in the country.
This polluted water channel is located next to the primary school where several students fainted or had an unpleasant skin rash. Source: Ourworld. The river in Bangladesh, to which without much regulation a nearby textile factory discharges its wastewater, has not only one but even few colors. It all depends on the color that is currently used by the production to color clothing. Bangladesh is a one of leading countries in the world in producing, processing and exporting textiles.
However, the textile industry has polluted almost the whole country because of a low level of wastewater regulation. Source: Greentumble. This Russian lake is referred to as the most polluted area on earth. About seventy years ago, the government of the USSR built a secret nuclear weapons factory. All the waste that was produced at the time of production went to a nearby lake. Karachay lake is polluted by radioactive components up to three and a half meters deep.
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