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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
‘Water lettuce' chokes tourism, fishing at El Salvador lake
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Government employees working to remove a huge growth of water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) from Lake Suchitlan in El Salvador on Aug 12. SUCHITOTO, El Salvador - The waters of El Salvador's Lake Suchitlan are normally busy with fishermen and tourists – but this year, you'd be forgiven for thinking it isn't a lake at all. The wetland, known for its biodiversity, has been overrun by a floating plant that feeds on chemical pollution, almost completely covering its surface and making it look like a lush, light-green field. Fed by the waters of the mighty Lempa River, Suchitlan is a 13,500-hectare artificial lake built around 1976, and supplies the Cerron Grande hydroelectric power station. The massive spread of Pistia stratiotes, commonly known as water lettuce, has paralysed the local tourism and fishing trades, leaving boatmen without income and restaurants on the shore empty. 'The truth is that the (plant) has affected us every year, but now it has gone too far. Today, it's completely covered,' Ms Julia Alvarez, a 52-year-old boat operator, told AFP. The reservoir is home to rich biodiversity with migratory birds on its islands, but now most of its surface is covered by water lettuce, whose spread has been aided by wind and heavy rains. Boatman Felicito Monroy said the phenomenon meant he has not been able to fish for 10 days. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 2 dead after fire in Jalan Bukit Merah flat, about 60 evacuated Singapore TB screenings at two pre-schools after staff member diagnosed in July Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Opinion The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide among Singapore's young adults Singapore Lawyer who sent misleading letters to 22 doctors fails in bid to quash $18,000 penalty Business Haidilao to close Clarke Quay outlet on Aug 31; exit follows 3 earlier outlet closures Singapore Jail, caning for recalcitrant drug offender who assaulted 2 cops with stun device Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story The plant's proliferation is hitting restaurants hard, too. 'Today, people just come, look, and leave right away. They don't enjoy the rides, they don't stay to taste the dishes, because the attraction is the water, the lake,' said Mr Johnny Anzora, a 44-year-old restaurant waiter. A heron flying over Lake Suchitlan, covered with a carpet of floating light green aquatic lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) on Aug 12. PHOTO: AFP Biologist and researcher Cidia Cortes explained that the growth was driven by an influx of 'pollution' to the lake, carried by tributaries. 'Heavy metals, aluminum, arsenic, lead... go into those waters, so it's like throwing fertiliser into the water; the algae feed on that too and grow exponentially,' she said. The presence of the aquatic plant has hit fishing and tourism in Suchitoto, El Salvador. PHOTO: AFP In an effort to eradicate the plant, five dredging barges are working to remove it. So far, they have cleaned up about 6.3 hectares of the reservoir, equivalent to nine soccer fields, according to the state-owned Lempa River Hydroelectric Executive Commission. But Ms Cortes warned that unless the root cause – the inflow of polluted water – was not addressed, the plants would continue to flourish. AFP
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
'Water lettuce' chokes tourism, fishing at El Salvador lake
The wetland, known for its biodiversity, has been overrun by a floating plant that feeds on chemical pollution, almost completely covering its surface and making it look like a lush, light-green field. Fed by the waters of the mighty Lempa River, Suchitlan is a 13,500-hectare artificial lake built around 1976, and supplies the Cerron Grande hydroelectric power station. The massive spread of Pistia stratiotes, commonly known as water lettuce, has paralyzed the local tourism and fishing trades, leaving boatmen without income and restaurants on the shore empty. "The truth is that the (plant) has affected us every year, but now it has gone too far. Today it's completely covered," Julia Alvarez, a 52-year-old boat operator, told AFP. The reservoir is home to rich biodiversity with migratory birds on its islands, but now most of its surface is covered by water lettuce, whose spread has been aided by wind and heavy rains. Boatman Felicito Monroy said the phenomenon meant he has not been able to fish for ten days. The plant's proliferation is hitting restaurants hard, too. "Today, people just come, look, and leave right away. They don't enjoy the rides, they don't stay to taste the dishes, because the attraction is the water, the lake," said Johnny Anzora, a 44-year-old restaurant waiter. Biologist and researcher Cidia Cortes explained that the growth was driven by an influx of "pollution" to the lake, carried by tributaries. "Heavy metals, aluminum, arsenic, lead... go into those waters, so it's like throwing fertilizer into the water; the algae feed on that too and grow exponentially," she said. In an effort to eradicate the plant, five dredging barges are working to remove it. So far, they have cleaned up about 6.3 hectares of the reservoir, equivalent to nine soccer fields, according to the state-owned Lempa River Hydroelectric Executive Commission.
