Study Turns Portion Of The Delaware River Green
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A portion of the Delaware river in Philadelphia turned green Tuesday.
"We're not celebrating St. Patrick's Day," said Dr. Chris Crocket of the Philadelphia Water Department.
He was referring to the green plume that extended from approximately Susquehanna to Washington Avenue for a few hours on Tuesday. He says it was a perfectly safe fluorescent compound used for surface and groundwater studies.
"The purpose of the dye study is so that we can understand how pollution would move throughout different parts of the river under different conditions," Dr. Crocket said.
"It allows us to understand how the water mixes through the river. So we can understand of something is dumped into the river in a different place how does it move as the river sloshes back and forth with the tide."
Dr. Crocket says they're laying the groundwork for a detailed computer model that will allow the city to find ways to improve water quality and keep a closer eye on the salt line.
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