Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection and Habitat Enhancement Project

West end of Arboretum Waterway. The shores and island are populated with blooming flowers, while the waterway itself has a light layer of algae

What’s Up with the Algae?

  • by Katie Hetrick
If you’ve visited the UC Davis Arboretum recently, you might have noticed an algae bloom at the west end of the newly renovated Waterway. While algae can sometimes seem like a sign that something is wrong, Arboretum and Public Garden staff want visitors to know: this is actually a normal—and expected—part of a healthy wetland’s development.
Peter Moyle, associate director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, poses with a common carp.

Common carp could be cause of common problem in Arboretum Waterway

Carp Research in the Arboretum Waterway

Undergraduate researcher Kim Luke with the Center for Watershed Sciences is working with the Arboretum and Public Garden to conduct an experiment about how different fishes in the Arboretum Waterway may influence water quality. She is particularly interested in how one kind of fish, common carp, influence algal blooms.

Image of two student interns from the Learning by Leading Waterway Stewardship team planting a wild grape cuttings to prevent erosion and create a wildlife habitat along the Arboretum Waterway.

Wild Grapes in the West-end

  • by Indigo Wang
Grape work! The barren banks on the west-end of the Arboretum Waterway are now home to wild grape cuttings, thanks to the Waterway Stewardship team.
Subscribe to Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection and Habitat Enhancement Project Content