Increased growth of algae in the Oder river.
Two years after the massive fish kill incident in the Oder River caused by excessive algae growth, officials monitoring the boundary waterway linking Germany and Poland have detected a significant return of the plant. The golden alga (Prymnesium parvum) has taken over the whole length of the river, including tributaries, reports the Brandenburg Environment Ministry.
The return of the golden alga that caused the fish kill two years ago is currently causing concerns. While the number of deceased fish found so far is limited, the levels of electrical conductivity, chlorophyll content, and toxicity are alarmingly high. What's more, the ecosystem is yet to regain health from the 2022 Oder catastrophe and is still missing essential filtering organisms like snails and mussels.
A hazard level three warning has been enforced, which was jointly introduced by German and Polish authorities after the massive fish kill in 2022. At that time, the river carried hundreds of tons of dead fish and other organisms.
