Water stagnation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
-
"Standing water" redirects here. For the song "Standing Water" by Soul Asylum, see The Silver Lining
Water stagnation occurs when water stops flowing. Stagnant water can be a major environmental hazard.
Contents |
[edit] Dangers
Malaria and dengue are among main dangers of stagnant water, which can become a breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmit these diseases.
Stagnant water is dangerous for drinking because of greater rate of the reproduction of bacteria and potential parasites.
[edit] Causes and prevention
Stagnant water may be classified into the following basic, although overlapping, types:
- Water body stagnation: stagnation in lakes, lagoons, rivers, etc.
- Surface and ground water stagnation
- Trapped water stagnation. The water may be trapped in human artifacts (discarded cans, plant pots, tires, dug-outs, roofs, etc.), as well as in natural containers, such as hollow tree trunks, leaf sheaths, etc.
To avoid ground and surface water stagnation, drainage of surface and subsoil is advised. Areas with a shallow water table are more susceptible to ground water stagnation due to the lower availability of natural soil drainage.
Excessive watering may cause ground or surface water stagnation.
[edit] Life in stagnant water
Some plants prefer flowing water, while others, such as lotuses, prefer stagnant water.
[edit] Species that may thrive in stagnant water
[edit] Bacteria
Various anaerobic bacteria are commonly found in stagnant water.
[edit] Fish
- Northern snakehead fish
- Siamese fighting fish
- Pygmy gourami
- Spotted barb
- Lepisosteidae (gar)
- Walking catfish
[edit] Insects
Stagnant water is the favorite breeding ground for a number of insects.
[edit] Other
[edit] Miscellanea
Pools of stagnant water have been historically used in processing of hemp and some other fiber crops, as well as of linden bark used for making bast shoes. Several weeks of soaking makes bast easily separable due to bacterial and fermentative processes.
