Samples taken

Residents Concerned: Stream Water Suddenly Turned Black

The water was discolored over a stretch of several hundred meters.(Bild: FF Kleinraming)

Residents living along the Ramingbach were quite surprised when the water turned pitch black earlier this week. Water samples were taken to determine the cause of the discoloration. In the meantime, the rain over the past few days has literally washed the problem away.

Observant residents made an alarming discovery earlier this week in Kleinraming (Steyr-Land district): “The water of the Ramingbach was black over several hundred meters upstream of the Nestermühle weir,” explains Jürgen Schwödiauer, commander of the Kleinraming Volunteer Fire Department. The volunteer fire department found no evidence of oil, manure, or any other obvious contamination.

The water was discolored over several hundred meters.(Bild: FF Kleinraming)

Water samples were taken
To determine the cause of the discoloration, water samples were taken. Initial results were available on Thursday. “Thankfully, the sample was not toxic, but at the time of collection, there was an elevated level of organic contamination,” says Barbara Spöck, District Administrator of Steyr-Land. Detailed test results are expected to clarify exactly where this came from. “But that could still take another week,” said Spöck.

Rain Washed the Problem Away
Following the rain over the past few days, the water in the Ramingbach now looks normal again, the district administrator explains. It remains to be seen whether a lack of oxygen was the cause of the discoloration. It’s certainly possible, according to the Water Quality Department of the State of Upper Austria: During prolonged heat waves, low water levels, and sufficient nutrient supply, algae can form in flowing waters. The decomposition process depletes the water of oxygen—causing the water to turn.