Just saw a study, sorry I can copy links but is easy find by googling such, our rivers are changing from blue to green and yellow.
The research was done by looking at among other things, satellite photos.

Could this possibly be a factor in Muskrat population????

Aligea?

There was an article out recently about a researcher saying that better water quality hurt muskrats.

It does.Back when the Penobscot river here was heavily polluted from all the paper mills there was alot of grass in the river and a pile of muskrats.Once the river was cleaned out from the pollution most the grass disappeared along with the muskrats.

Yes, for the ones turning green. Fertilizer.

Silt for the yellow.

Habitat changes loss of rats

Dumb question probably,,,,,but,,,,wouldn't water change be a change in habitat? Is that what ya meant?

Only if it changed what grows there.

It sure did here.Muskrats needs are food and cover.

Thats what I meant

Yep agreeing with you.

The river I live on, the Juniata which use to be billed as the Blue Juniata is now green.

Years ago it had nice weedbeds along the shallow portions. Not hardly any now. Below the bridge leading into Port Royal its shallow and would choke clean shut with weeds.
Don't see any now.

People also came here to fish for blackbass. They along with rockbass and sunfish dropped to very low levels, so much so that its catch and release for the most part.

Sad.

I won't fish where it is catch and release.

Must be pollutants other than nitrates

I won't either.

Keith

The only thing a big ole fat bass deserves is to be released.

Into the woods coons need to eat........

Bass are over rated