1.1 Water Colour
What does the colour of the water tell us? Find out here.
Ottawa River at Rocher Fendu. Photo: Wilderness Tours
Brown Tea Colour
Dissolved organic matter (i.e. decaying plant matter), algae growth, and minerals such as iron. Just as tea leaves alter the colour of the water in your tea cup, the plant material adds organic matter and color to the water.
Ottawa River at Hawkesbury, ON. Photo: Meaghan Murphy
Brown/Cloudy Colour
Suspended sediment from runoff or erosion.
Private lake in South Ottawa. Photo: Larry Pegg
Yellow
Some algae or tree pollen.
Ottawa River at Hudson, QC. Photo: Sue McLennan
Red
Suspended sediment from run-off, and minerals such as iron.
Gatineau River tributary, QC. Photo: Rita Jain
Grey
Suspended sediment from runoff (typically in urban areas from streams and storm drains).
Blue green algae bloom in September 2013 in Ville Marie, QC on Lac Temiscaming. Photo: OBVT/Ambroise Lycke
Green/Blue-Green
Algae bloom
This is a page from the online Riverwatch handbook.