ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WKRG) — Orange Beach looks more like “Green Beach” this weekend and the green hue of the Gulf Coast waters is being seen on other local beaches too.

The water is full of “June Grass,” which the city says isn’t grass at all. It’s algae. The water is calm, few waves, but you still can’t see your feet through the thick green, slimy life. You can see swarms of tiny fish feeding on the grass. The algae aren’t harmful to people and is actually essential to the environment. A Facebook post explains it, “it’s that time of year again when some areas of our beaches are experiencing ‘June Grass,’ though not grass at all.

June Grass is actually floating marine algae from the genus Cladophora that migrates from the center of the Gulf of Mexico and works its way inland when water temperatures rise. It is not harmful to humans and not related to Blue-Green or Red Tide algae that you may have seen on TV. While it might not be the most appealing, June Grass helps re-nourish our beaches and is an essential food source for birds, crabs, dune mice and more.”

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