Water hyacinth removed nationwide from waterways

 

SI SAKET, 5 December 2016 (NNT) - Volunteers marked Thai Environment Day by removing water hyacinth from waterways across Thailand 

In Si Saket, local government officials, residents, and the private sector joined hands to remove water hyacinth and weeds from Pa Tai Reservoir which is located in Wang Hin district. The aquatic plants have clogged a nearby creek which supplies the water to the reservoir. The water hyacinth will be turned into organic fertilizers for farmers once. 

In Yasothorn, the same operation has been carried out in Kwang River in Muang district. The river is important to the livelihoods of local residents living on the embankments and the production of tap water. Fish species have also been released into the wild to ensure the sustainability of the ecosystem. 

Sukhothai provincial and Ban Lum authorities as well as a group of soldiers took to Na Pruan River with a flat-bottomed boat and a backhoe in an attempt to unclog the waterway. The plants will be used as raw materials for the production of fertilizers to be given to local farmers free of charge. 

In Samut Prakarn, an agreement has been made between relevant agencies to keep Khlong Samrong clean and unclogged. After the water hyacinth was removed, they released a liquid solution containing microorganisms into the river to stabilize the pH-level. 

In Ratchaburi, machines and equipment were brought to the embankment of Khlong Khwae Om to remove the unwanted plants. Local residents as well as local government officials from various organizations also joined the effort to help keep the canal clean and clear of any floating objects that could potentially disturb water transport.

 

-- nnt 2016-12-05

Now all the need is to get rid of the Thai's that consistently throw plastic bottles/bags into the canals around Thailand as usual.

While cleaning up the waterways, please do the same on the roads and get rid of all minibuses 

 

Apparently many scientists around the world are searching for a viable large scale commercial use for water hyacinth. Some really interesting websites on internet explaining the potential uses for this prolific, easy to grow, unstoppable weed.

 

It's astonishing how quickly it regrows after harvesting, and it's nearly impossible to eradicate completely. Not only does it clog up waterways and reduce water flow, but reduced oxygen levels below the floating mat of weed has a big impact on the local ecosystem.

 

The key word here is viable. The noble efforts going on around Thailand at the moment are commendable in freeing up the waterways, but there's no profit in it.

 

If there was a profit to be made, then the water hyacinth "problem" wouldn't exist.

 

Any company that can harvest and process this cheap raw material into a commercial profit, will be on a winner.

Water Hyacinth furniture is already a huge business so that don't have to look far for a use.

"Water hyacinth removed nationwide from waterways"

That is a statement of a fact.   I believe that is an impossible task, it is a noxious water weed  and by the time they get to one end of a klong, it will have resurfaced at the beginning. As the above poster said, it can be utilized in manufacture and can be processed into organic fertilizer/compost.

Edited December 5, 20169 yr by ratcatcher

I don't think water hyacinth is a natural plant to Thailand. How was it introduced?

1 hour ago, Gandtee said:

I don't think water hyacinth is a natural plant to Thailand. How was it introduced?

 

Mr Google says .... native of Sth America. Introduced into Thailand from Indonesia in 1901 as an aquatic garden plant for Royal Palace in Bangkok. Subsequent floodings of Chao Praya spread the weed. 

 

Probably some innocent numpty also took cuttings up into the north of LOS for gardens. Hence the distribution.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

a group of soldiers took to Na Pruan River with a flat-bottomed boat and a backhoe in an attempt to unclog the waterway

 

Why the backhoe? Use a flatbottomed boat and make a conveyerbelt at the front which scoops the plants into the boat. It can also have a cuttingdevice after the belt to cut them and a high power blower to blow it in a dumptruck through the air like a combine can do with corn.

I feel sure I have seen what you have described being used in the past in Thailand. Why more are not used on a regular basis I don't know.

35 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

I feel sure I have seen what you have described being used in the past in Thailand. Why more are not used on a regular basis I don't know.

 

I've seen them collecting waterhyacinth by hand/stick in huge groups....throwing it on land to dry and than a truck with grabber came to grab it...that truck was parked on the sidewalk along the klongs and the sidewalks all cracked from the weight plus the drains all broke....nobody ever fixed that.

 

Then they had a new Thai invention, from blue waterpipe they made floating squares so the waterhyacinth had to grow inside those frames only...but the hyacinths didn't understand it and grew where they liked.

 

They better have animals who eat them, like hippo's....also great for the tourists and almost same same as an elephant.

 

 

 

 

49 minutes ago, fruitman said:

 

I've seen them collecting waterhyacinth by hand/stick in huge groups....throwing it on land to dry and than a truck with grabber came to grab it...that truck was parked on the sidewalk along the klongs and the sidewalks all cracked from the weight plus the drains all broke....nobody ever fixed that.

 

Then they had a new Thai invention, from blue waterpipe they made floating squares so the waterhyacinth had to grow inside those frames only...but the hyacinths didn't understand it and grew where they liked.

 

They better have animals who eat them, like hippo's....also great for the tourists and almost same same as an elephant.

 

 

 

 

You want to introduce hippo's in Thailand, ...while in Africa, among all animals, the hippo is considered as causing the largest number of human fatalities?

Here I go... blowing my chances at becoming a millionaire this time next year Rodney....

 

How about they use it for making bio fuel... they are cutting up acres of Bracken in the UK to do this as I type....

 

And as for the collection method, they really need to get some heavy machinery into it oherwise this plant is here to stay.....for ever...

4 hours ago, electric said:

 

Mr Google says .... native of Sth America. Introduced into Thailand from Indonesia in 1901 as an aquatic garden plant for Royal Palace in Bangkok. Subsequent floodings of Chao Praya spread the weed. 

 

Probably some innocent numpty also took cuttings up into the north of LOS for gardens. Hence the distribution.

great..............a  royal  project

2 hours ago, fruitman said:

 

I've seen them collecting waterhyacinth by hand/stick in huge groups....throwing it on land to dry and than a truck with grabber came to grab it...that truck was parked on the sidewalk along the klongs and the sidewalks all cracked from the weight plus the drains all broke....nobody ever fixed that.

 

Then they had a new Thai invention, from blue waterpipe they made floating squares so the waterhyacinth had to grow inside those frames only...but the hyacinths didn't understand it and grew where they liked.

 

They better have animals who eat them, like hippo's....also great for the tourists and almost same same as an elephant.

 

 

 

 

similar  here, ripping  up the  main road all the  lorries  bringing  in stone  for  it  went  down my  small back  road,  now  its totally   devastated...... Good  job!!

20 hours ago, Gandtee said:

I feel sure I have seen what you have described being used in the past in Thailand. Why more are not used on a regular basis I don't know.

Ypu may well have done and there may be some in Thailand, somewhere. Here's a Utube with the Chinese going at it.

Pickup the phone Mr P.M. and get thos guys up north to send some down or better still get a Thai factory to make some.

Clear the swamp.

 

Apparently you can eat the stuff.

Well they haven't got round to removing the water hyacinth from the Ping in Chiang Mai which I overlook form my condo. So as usual its only Bangkok that will benefit.

I wonder why Thai universities have not done research into eradicating and finding a use for this plant. Or have they and had no support, or funds from those whose job it is to solve the never ending problem. It seems the present approach to this is to have a 'crackdown' then walk away and forget about it until the next outcry to do something about it. As usual.

51 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

I wonder why Thai universities have not done research into eradicating and finding a use for this plant. Or have they and had no support, or funds from those whose job it is to solve the never ending problem. It seems the present approach to this is to have a 'crackdown' then walk away and forget about it until the next outcry to do something about it. As usual.

 

I guess those bue floating waterpipe-frames were the plan from the university....it was a great idea   Grow them in a floating frame so they can't drift away or grow over/under the 1-2 inch thick pipes...

 

The frames were kept in the middle of the klongs by fishingline! tied to poles on the mainland...

13 hours ago, seahorse said:

Apparently you can eat the stuff.

 

Interesting little read at

 

www.eattheweeds.com/water-hyacinth-stir-fry-2/

 

 

Although obviously Thailand would be better off without it, because it is so invasive, it does have some uses. Food, animal food, compost, paper, rope, furniture. But not very good for any of these. Best use is phyto-remediation. It is really good at removing pollutants from water. Finally, it is attractive when it flowers. 

 

I use water hyacinth and water lettuce to clean up my water in my fish growing tanks. But you have to keep it under control, and not allow out into the aquatic environment. I dry and compost mine for the garden when i have too much.