What makes the water in Venice the bright colour that it is?

Question

I have just come back from Venice (Italy) and noticed the water is a very particular blue/green. What is it that gives it this distinctive colouration?

Answer 1

the pollution

Answer 2

It's just brackish water. It's only that color in some areas. Didn't you notice the browner water in most places? It can be amazingly un-brown though.

If you go out 100 miles (or less in most places) into any of the world's oceans and seas, you will see the most beautiful blue/green colors. That is the color saltwater appears to be to us because the light that penetrates it travels in waves (and particles) of the frequency associated with blue and green, some value between (infra) red and (ultra) violet, just like you see in a rainbow. If the water has silt, particles, dirt, pollution, etc it reflects a different frequency of light and therefore appears to be a different color to us.

Aren't you glad you asked?

Hope you had a good time in Venezia!