Guys..just had a few minutes to look at the site and thought it appropriate to dive into this one. I have studied golden algae in detail, since it affects several ponds I manage along the Red River and Brazos system. Dr. Myers, I do believe barley straw can have a positive impact, especially on smaller ponds. ML, fish aren't the problem, the water is. Golden algae has specific requirements, such as salinity. Lake Diversion is a salty lake, fed by salt water springs in the upper watershed, some of the same springs which feed the Salt Fork of the Brazos. More ponds are affected from the Wichita River system than the Brazos, because Diversion is an irrigation source. The Diversion hatchery (Dundee) has figured out how to deal with the water, too.
I can think of at least 15 ponds on the Diversion system which have had fish kills due to golden algae.
Some state biologists believe golden algae can move via spores in the air, but must have a certain salinity, or they don't dominate the system. Golden algae likes cool to cold water, and overwhelms 'good' plankton and algae.
There have been fish kills in Lakes of the Brazos, and parts of the Red River and Lake Texoma.
Dr. M....Barley may well be the 'silver bullet' for golden algae. People are working with it, and I am glad you are, too.
BrianH, so far there is no evidence that golden algae moves to water with fish, unless the WATER is of the chemistry the dreaded stuff needs. That means you can transfer fish into clean, unsalty water. I'd be more worried about the species of fish you transfer.
