The massive spread of water hyacinths across Hartbeespoort Dam is more than just an annoyance to water sports enthusiasts and tourists who frequent the area.
Because it already covers around half of the surface area of the dam, it reduces the overall health of the water body by restricting sun and oxygen below the surface which, in turn, sees fish and other life underwater dying off.
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The weeds have been a problem at the dam for many decades, but the spread has been turbocharged recently by the influx of flood waters from heavy rain, which resulted in an increase in nutrients for the plants.
It appears as though efforts on the part of various levels of government to deal with the issue have stalled. Perhaps that is understandable because mechanical removal is expensive and time-consuming, while chemical control can poison other animal and plant life.
Longer-term biological solutions – such as the introduction of insects which feed on the plants – have resulted in successful near eradication of the weed in places in India and, nearer to home, in Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe in the 1980s.
ALSO READ: A new aquatic weed threatens to suffocate Hartbeespoort Dam
Whatever option is chosen, action must be taken quickly to save what is one of Gauteng major tourist attractions.
