The Ohio River is still green

Despite yesterday's steady rain and cooler temperatures, the algae bloom in the Ohio River in my area is still there, although not as visible as it was two days ago. On Wednesday, the afternoon soon gave the river a bright green sheen. Today the river was still green, particularly in the still water close to the shore, but it wasn't as bright as it was two days ago.

Here are a couple of photos I got Sunday. The first one is the result of my skipping a small flat rock in an area thick with the algae.

I was alone, otherwise I could have gotten a photo of the green water splashing upward when the rock first hit the water. Seriously, it was all green.

This one was taken on the upper approach wall of old Lock and Dam 27.

The main stem of the Ohio is on the left of the photo. On the left is an area of backwater where the river comes down and butts up against the shore and the wall. Close to the wall is an area of clear water. You can't see it well here, but a current is flowing along the wall from left to right. To the right out of the picture frame are a series of little whirlpools where the backwater meets the river current.

As I watched this small current move around the guide wall and push the algae out of the way, I had to think that the river current was pushing water downstream. Some of it accumulated where it couldn't go any farther until it backed up along the guidewall.

The white thing in the upper left corner is the reflection of a cloud on the river surface.

Let's see how the river looks tomorrow. Some folks will be watching football. I'll be looking for algae. Such is life.

Bridge documentary and contest

This came in an e-mail today from the Milton-Madison Bridge Project.

"Milton-Madison Bridge: History on the Ohio" airs tonight on KET2 at 11:30 ET. The 30-minute documentary chronicles the innovative engineering solution to replace the aging bridge over the Ohio River connecting Madison, Indiana with Milton, Kentucky, leading to a dramatic and historic event - the longest bridge slide ever in North America.

The top part of the message said this:

Today (September 11) is the last day for the public to vote for the Milton-Madison Bridge Project in a national competition for the best transportation project.

Voting for the People’s Choice Award in the America’s Transportation Awards competition is taking place online. To vote, simply go to votemmbridge.com. Each person may cast up to 10 ballots. The winning project will recieve a $10,000 donaton to a charity or scholarship fund. Get your votes in now!