The fight is underway to stop the golden algae from reaching the reservoir in Lake Dzierżno Duże (Gliwice district) to the Gliwice Canal and then to the Oder. Silesian Voivode Marek Wójcik reported that a barrier made of barley straw had been created. As of Tuesday, 3.9 tons of dead fish had been caught.
We reported on tvn24.pl on Monday about the detection of a large concentration of golden algae in part of Dzierżno Duże. On Tuesday, at a press conference, Silesian Voivode Marek Wójcik said that a barrier made of barley straw had been erected to prevent the golden algae from reaching the Gliwice Canal.
– The barrier has the ability to absorb golden algae. It will be further expanded – said the governor.
Earlier, the flow of water from the lake to the Gliwice Canal was reduced to a minimum. In addition, the governor issued a regulation prohibiting the use of the reservoir and the fourth section of the Gliwice Canal from August 5 to 19. Information boards have been placed on the shore. Police officers patrolling the area ensure compliance with the ban.
Golden algae may be carried on boats
– Sailing in various types of vessels would cause difficulties in catching fish (…). Equipment used in a reservoir with a high concentration of golden algae could be transferred to other reservoirs, causing the transfer and inoculation of golden algae – said Voivode Marek Wójcik.
Since Saturday, when the dead fish were first noticed, a total of about 3.9 tons have been caught. Most of them from Dzierżno Duże, but also from the connector between the lake and the Gliwice Canal and the fourth section of the Gliwice Canal. Tests carried out at the Central Research Laboratory of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection showed the presence of 100 million cells of golden algae in a liter of water from Dzierżno Duże. The head of the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Katowice, Agata Bucko-Serafin, assessed on Monday that this is a high concentration. For comparison, she recalled that during the ecological disaster that occurred in the summer of 2022, more than three times more cells of golden algae were recorded in the Gliwice Canal.
3.5 tons of dead fish in the lake. The operation to catch them is underwayPolish Waters RZGW Gliwice
Research is ongoing
The fact that the fish kill in Dzierżno Duży was caused by a toxin from golden algae is indicated by traces on the gills of the fish. Research is still being conducted to confirm the presence of the toxin in the water. Environmental protection services believe that the golden algae bloom in Dzierżno Duży occurred for natural reasons. Water sample tests did not show that the cause was, for example, water pollution related to industry or other human activity.
Main image source: TVN24