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Every ecosystem has its own natural organic balance. You may call it an equilibrium or homeostasis. Every farm, yard, and even down to a handful of soil has its own homeostasis. The same goes for waterways. Oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams all have their own ecosystems that have a natural balance. Just as mushrooms show up around trees when the soil around the tree is out of balance, algae blooms grow on water when the water system is out of balance.

Phosphates, nitrogen, and various organic matter (like yard waste or tree leaves) in waterways are known to fuel the growth of algae. It needs to be understood that all three of these are always present in some quantity, and they need to be as part of a balanced ecosystem. The problems occur when they start appearing in excess. Sometimes this as a result of nature doing what it does, like in a swamp. In those cases the algae is there to balance out something that the environment is naturally responsible for. Other times the algae shows up due to an imbalance that humans have inadvertently caused.

People use heavy nitrogen and phosphorous based fertilizers for their lawns and crops. People use biocides, fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides. And people mow lawns, which blows around grass clippings. And then it rains. The rains wash small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, dangerous chemicals, grass clippings, and other types of organic waste into the waterways in each significant rain event. Over time these small quantities build up to significant quantities. At the same time that these items are building up we are killing needed microorganisms that naturally break down these things through the use of chemicals. This creates an opportunity for algae blooms to grow and prosper.

Algae growth is a natural balancing mechanism in its own right, but it can be a real problem. Algae blooms are unsightly for one. But the bigger problem is that algae can be dangerous. For one, they can choke an ecosystem. Excessive amounts of algae can deplete dissolved oxygen, which can kill aquatic life. Some types of algae even produce toxins that are dangerous to the water supply.

In many cases the bacteria that feed on the excess nitrogen, phosphates, and organic matter have been compromised. When this happens there is nothing to naturally stop the algae from growing and causing further damage. When chemicals are used that kill bacteria that break down those compounds, then the problem is further perpetuated. Algaecides, for instance, are often perpetuators of their own problem. They kill the algae, which is good. But they also kill the bacteria we need. So the algae just grows back. And then more chemicals are used…..and then the algae grows back…..and then more chemicals are used. It’s a vicious cycle that is avoidable if we look at what nature truly wants.