Abstract

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plants and is known to cause significant ecological and socio-economic effects. This senior seminar paper provided a comprehensive review of impacts and management strategies for invasive water hyacinth in major Ethiopian lakes. Water hyacinth infestations were found to obstruct waterways and inland fisheries, increase detrimental water loss through evapotranspiration, reduce water quality, damage native biodiversity and ecosystems, threaten fishing and farming livelihoods, and exacerbate public health issues. Control methods were examined, including physical removal, chemical herbicides, biological agents, and integrated techniques. While temporary relief has been achieved using manual removal and mechanical harvesting, water hyacinth populations rapidly rebound from leftover plant fragments. Similarly, chemical controls effectively kill floating mats but have concerning environmental and health impacts. Biological control utilizing host-specific insects and pathogens like weevils and fungi emerges as the most sustainable long-term management strategy, although requiring 1-3 years for establishment and optimal performance. Additionally, opportunities exist for utilizing sustainably harvested water hyacinth biomass for bioenergy production, nutrient bioremediation, and generating income through eco-entrepreneurship. Ultimately, integrated management is recommended, combining biological agents, limited herbicide use, and physical removal, together with reducing external nutrient pollution that fuels water hyacinth growth. Implementing integrated control methods through coordinated stakeholder efforts, enforcing ornamental plant trade laws, and raising public awareness can help restore invaded lakes and wetlands across Ethiopia. Further research is critically needed to evaluate integrated management strategies tailored to the environmental and socioeconomic context of affected water bodies.