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Re: The ditch by the house



> about today. I founded a great flood control ditch along a bike path about
> 20 feet across and several miles long that ran right along the side of the
> path about a mile from the house. I was in heaven. Smartweeds and duckweeds
> lower down by the richer run off due to agriculture, the classic azolla
> upstream in lower NO3 waters and lower PO4 (but no duckweed where it's

Just saw a neat side-story while watching "This Old House".  They are 
doing a project in Florida, and were talking about current efforts
to save the everglades.   Some researchers involved in the everglades
work had a long (50 feet or so) trough set up.  They pumped water
that was rich in nitrates and phosphates (to match the agricultural
run-off) into one end of the trough.   Over time, various algaes
and emergent plants grew in the "upstream" part, where nutrient
levels were higher.  As they went down the trough, the growth changed, and
by the end, the water was crystal clear, with much lower nutrient levels,
and very different types of plant and algae.

It was pretty cool.   Nature definitely knows how to clean water!

--
Chuck Gadd