I am a Senior Research Scientist for the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute and this is one of several pieces made for a project called Wool and Water.

Wool and Water is a data art project that blends fiber art with scientific data to create visual representations of changing water quality conditions in the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain Basin. In association with the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute has embarked on a collaborative fiber arts project supported by the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership to showcase the legacy of protecting clean water in the Lake Champlain Basin and beyond.

Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) is a microscopic algae (diatom) that can form thick brown mats on stream bottoms which in turn threaten aquatic habitats, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities. Known as “rock snot” and native to northern regions of North America and Europe, didymo has broadened its range and expanded eastward from several western states. The thick, mat-like growth that results from blooms of didymo can cover long stretches of stream beds and choke out organisms living in stream bottoms and limit food availability for trout and other species. Rock snot is unknowingly spread by anglers, kayakers, canoeists, and other boaters engaging in water recreation. This microscopic algae can cling to waders, boats, boots, lures, fishing line and other equipment and remain viable for long-periods of time. Because they have numerous interstitial spaces and can remain wet for long periods of time, felt-soled waders are thought to be potential vectors for the spread of didymo and other aquatic invasive species. Though not prohibited in either state, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Service strongly encourage anglers and other aquatic recreationists to thoroughly clean, drain, and dry waders and other equipment before traveling between waterbodies. These snot-colored felt slippers are embellished with embroidery to represent the 10 locations where didymo has been confirmed in New York’s rivers.

Data/information: https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/54244.html

Pattern: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/marsh-felted-sli..., embellished with embroidery