Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world, is an essential resource for the people of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. It provides food, clean water, hydroelectric power, and transportation. However, the lake faces a major challenge due to the spread of water hyacinth, an invasive plant that grows quickly and forms thick mats
Water hyacinth has been on the Delta for decades, but really exploded in 2011 and 2012 as officials were not able to obtain a permit to spray chemicals in a timely fashion. Efforts to control hyacinth in the Deltas focuses primarily on the use of chemical herbicide applications. Officials aggressively spray chemicals; a prepared document
Water hyacinth has been the scourge of the Delta in recent years, but by this summer it could be providing the power to city lights. A pilot project is in the works to harvest it for biogas. Port of Stockton Environmental Manager Jeff Wingfield says the port is proposing a pilot project to harvest the
Nyamitanga Division Chairperson Moses Karanzi Kajubi says the move to manually remove the water weed should be supported instead of being criticized. He says that they intend to do the cleaning of the river at least once a month, by pulling the water weed out of the water and cut it into pieces so that
Aquarius Systems was featured on a National Geographic Cable Channel program broadcast in the United States on April 2nd and 5th, 2003. The Swamp Devil Aquatic Vegetation Cutter (formerly known as the Cookie Cutter) has been used on Lake Victoria since 1998 to help control dense mats of water hyacinth. A film crew from National
According to Don Richardson, Bakersfield Water superintendent, the big advantage of using an aquatic weed harvester is that they don’t have to use a lot of chemicals. “Using chemicals to kill weeds in lakes can be dangerous because the chemicals could seep into the groundwater. Also, one chemical treatment for a lake can cost about
Carraízo reservoir in Puerto Rico has fallen victim to two of the world’s most invasive aquatic plants: water lettuce and water hyacinth. Often found together, the invasive plants grow at exponential rates, obstruct waterways, clog hydropower plants, and prevent sunlight from penetrating the water’s surface, reducing water quality. The Aqueduct and Sewer Authority began its
Hartbeespoort Dam in South Africa has a new invasive aquatic weed to battle, Salvinia minima. The proliferation of common salvinia, just as water hyacinth came under biological control through the combined efforts is no coincidence. In areas that experience high levels of nutrient inflow (pollution), the control of one aquatic weed opens resources to other
Florida’s tropical waters are home to a great diversity of life, but perhaps the most endearing is the Manatee. The manatee is a grazing animal and spends between six and eight hours a day feeding on seagrasses and other freshwater vegetation. The manatee actually plays an important role in controlling the aquatic plant growth in