Seeing the June Grass during my beach walk this AM led to searches in Dogpile and Google. Here are a few high points: -The proper name for June Grass is Cladophora. Your search engine will have better results with cladophora. -June Grass is an algae bloom. Throw in a little Red Tide and we're 2/3 of the way to an algae Italian flag. -It grows in saltwater and freshwater -The Gulf doesn't have a monopoly. Lake Michigan has an increase in June Grass since zebra mussels invaded there. Seems the zebra mussels filtered formerly murky water, allowing more light to enter, fostering the June Grass. -It's a present in aquariums too. Aquarium people call it "Green Hair" -It is supposed to help beach renourishment. It washes ashore and the sand sticks to it as it dries, helping the sand build up. -As you might expect, it provides a habitat for small shrimp and other little creatures -It seems to thrive in areas where there are sewer or irrigation outflows. More nutrients in that sort of water. Maybe the outflows from our dune lakes help foster it? -Despite the name, some years it can last all summer. I'm sure long-time SoWalers can offer insight that I don't have on this, having only been here 2 years. Dogpile found an article from Ft. Walton where it was still around in August.
