Have you noticed the thick carpet of plants in Lake Burley Griffin lately?
If you've dared to head outdoors while Canberra has been blanketed with smoke in recent weeks, or perhaps you've seized on a brief reprieve in the smoke to fit in a lake walk, then you probably have.
We know Lake Burley Griffin often plays host to all sorts of nasties, most notably blue green algae, but this time there's something else at play.
Due to the months of significantly below average rainfall Canberra has endured, along with most of Australia, lake levels are dwindling and its aquatic plants are becoming visible, a National Capital Authority spokeswoman said.
"The weather conditions this year have affected lake levels and some aquatic plants, that aren't normally seen as they're situated at the bottom of the lake, are now easily seen on the surface," she said.
"Aquatic plants at the bottom of the lake normally provide habitat and food for fish and as the lake water has become clearer the plants are growing more and are more obvious."
The lake plants die off in the summer months releasing from the bottom and as such have formed mats on the surface of the lake.
"Under the influence of southerly winds these plant mats are now collecting on the shoreline and for the time being are predominately found in the central basin along the northern shoreline," the spokeswoman said.
