In the area of the municipal spa of Villa María, near the Amphitheatre, the accumulation of algae was observed and this phenomenon has an explanation.
According to the municipal authorities, the appearance of these “patches” of algae “is incipient and would not cause any problems.”
Geologist Germán Tissera, who is in charge of the Undersecretary of Environment and Sanitation of the Municipality of Villa María, explained that this phenomenon is generated in part by the drought, since there is less circulation of water, it is quieter and ” lose oxygenation.
Tissera, in dialogue with the local newspaper El Diario de Centro del País, maintained that the proliferation of algae is generated by the large presence of organic matter that might be contributed by “effluents from industries or feedlots” and that with the low river flow, the phenomenon is “accentuated”.
The official stated that they await the arrival of the rains to regulate the flows. “We, for tourism purposes, have that mirror of water with the floodgates closed, but we are going to start carrying out maneuvers to get it balanced once more,” he said.
As there was “a water deficit”, Tissera argued that the Municipality decided to leave the mirror “longer with water, because it is very difficult to fill it up once more and activities are carried out”.
Later, he emphasized that the water “needs movement” and said that the algae, when floating, “do not allow light to enter the water mirrors and generate a different stratification zone.” And he noted: “It has some complexities.”
However, he clarified that, in the local case, the algae “are very incipient, they are very close to the margins and they would not generate any type of problem.” In any case, he recognized that the appearance of algae modifies “the physiognomy of the place” and alerts the population.
