Shafaq News- Diyala
Water hyacinth has spread across five Iraqi provinces and could cause a “disaster” if it reaches the marshes, Water Resources Minister Muthanna Al-Tamimi warned on Saturday.
In an audio statement, Al-Tamimi explained that the invasive plant, locally known as “Nile flower,” had expanded sharply after the file was not properly addressed in previous periods. Al-Diwaniyah is now among the worst affected provinces –the plant was absent there last year but now covers most of its irrigation channels.
A single water hyacinth plant consumes between three and five liters of water per day, Al-Tamimi cautioned, warning that its spread could also worsen pressure on Iraq’s already strained water resources.
Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has been briefed on the risk of the plant reaching the marshes, where control efforts would be difficult because of the size of the wetlands, the minister said.
Combating water hyacinth cannot be handled by one body alone and requires coordination among several government agencies, he added. The ministry is studying the possible use of the water hyacinth weevil, but is still examining whether the insect could affect palm trees, while a government delegation will visit Egypt to benefit from its experience in combating the plant.
The plant has already affected major waterways and farmland. In Baghdad, Ahmed Al-Khafaji, head of the Health and Environment Committee, previously warned that water hyacinth was choking parts of the Tigris River, while farmers in Najaf’s Al-Mishkhab district said it was threatening irrigation supplies for up to 3,750 hectares of farmland.
Water hyacinth is one of the world’s most damaging invasive aquatic plants. Native to South America, it entered Iraq about two decades ago after spreading widely across several regions. The plant forms dense mats over water surfaces, blocking sunlight, reducing oxygen levels, obstructing waterways, and threatening fish and other aquatic life.
The European Union listed the plant as an invasive alien species of concern in 2016, placing it under control and restriction measures because of its environmental impact.
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