Foam at the Base of the Sabino Canyon Dam Created by A Natural Surfactants, DOC. (January 21, 2015) — Image by kenne
The foam at the base of the Sabino Canyon Dam is a natural surfactants called DOC (dissolved organic carbon). DOC is a food supplement, supporting growth of microorganisms and plays an important role in the global carbon cycle through the microbial loop. DOC comes from the decomposition of a variety of plant material including algae and aquatic plants, but also the leaves from trees that line the creek. The amount of foam at the base will depend on the flow rate over the dam, which might explain less foam this morning.
kenne
Spectacular photograph!