Local resident raises alarm after making disturbing sighting in nearby creek: 'I was horrified'

A New Jersey resident was "horrified" after seeing the conditions of a local creek, worried that irreparable damage could be done to it.

The concerned citizen turned to Reddit for advice. Describing the issue in the r/SouthJersey subreddit, the OP wrote that, on a recent walk, they noticed the waterway had turned "Caribbean blue," instead of its normal, orange-ish hue.

"I have been walking by this creek for 5 or so years and have never seen anything like this," they wrote. "I am profoundly worried about the wildlife and ecosystem."

The poster shared several photos of the creek, including one where it converged with another creek. That other waterway was its original color and had not turned blue. The OP asked not only for advice on what could be causing the problem but also what could be done about it.

Commenters were split on the possible source of the color-changing creek, but most leaned toward it being an algae bloom.

Toxic algae blooms, which can be more common in warm temperatures such as those New Jersey has faced this summer, oftentimes turn water blue-green. They can be devastating to local marine life, as evidenced by a bloom this year that poisoned several sea lions and dolphins off the coast of Southern California.

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Others thought the culprit could be fertilizer or dye that had made its way into the creek, possibly from a nearby golf course. And others … well, others weren't sure what caused the issue, but knew they wanted to stay away from it.

"That water looks like it would turn a turtle into a teenage mutant ninja," one commenter joked.

Many commenters suggested reporting the issue to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. One, who claimed to work with New Jersey water quality, agreed that contacting DEP was a good idea. But they added that taking common-sense, eco-friendly approaches to lawn care could also help keep local water safe.

"Eliminating the use of fertilizers, incorporating more gardens … and reducing ground coverage of lawn grass by replacing other lawn features can not only help drainage in your yard (and reduce potential flooding) but also reduce runoff into storm drains and help improve your local water quality," they wrote.