Lake Tana water hyacinth spreads into 36 more kebeles
The invasive water hyacinth has reached 36 additional kebeles around Lake Tana while officials report equipment and regulatory constraints on control efforts.
Water hyacinth has spread into 36 additional kebeles around Lake Tana, intensifying concern over navigation, biodiversity and livelihoods tied to Ethiopia’s largest freshwater lake.
A former lake weed-control expert, Chalachew Benalfew, told The Reporter Ethiopia that the infestation has moved from the eastern shoreline toward western areas. He said sustained manual removal and mechanical harvesting had proved more effective than biological or chemical controls in earlier campaigns.
The Amhara Regional Environmental Protection Authority said only two of four mechanical weed harvesters are operating because of fuel shortages and a lack of replacement parts. The authority identified the lake’s northwestern section as the most heavily affected area and said another large removal and rehabilitation campaign is being prepared, without giving a budget or timetable.
Officials also said a proposed buffer-zone regulation intended to curb pollution and damaging shoreline activity has not yet been approved. Experts cited wastewater, nutrient-rich runoff, sedimentation and weak enforcement among factors enabling the invasive plant to return after removal. Lake Tana supports fishing, agriculture, tourism and transport across its basin.
