Water hyacinth campaign expands across Iraqi rivers

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Babil

Iraq launched a nationwide campaign on Saturday to remove water hyacinth from rivers and clean riverbanks, with the participation of government ministries, state institutions, volunteer teams, and civil society organizations.

Baghdad Environmental Police Director Mustafa Abdul Hassan told Shafaq News that the force had mobilized units across Baghdad, Al-Diwaniyah, Wasit, and Babil provinces to support the move, noting that the initiative is coordinated with the Water Resources Ministry and aims to remove the invasive plant and promote volunteerism and environmental awareness in line with calls from Iraq's religious authority and judicial efforts to hold polluters accountable.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Provincial Council member Ayat Muzaffar said the council and the Baghdad Services Authority joined the campaign to identify the causes behind the spread of water hyacinth and develop long-term solutions. “The plant blocks irrigation canals, restricts water flow to farmland, and reduces dissolved oxygen levels, threatening Iraq's fish stocks. Authorities are also studying ways to recycle the removed vegetation into organic fertilizer instead of disposing of it through conventional methods.”

During a visit to Babil Province, Governor Ali Turki said efforts should begin in the upper reaches of the Euphrates River because the province serves as the main gateway for water flowing toward Iraq's southern provinces. He called for concentrating mechanical and manual removal operations in upstream areas.

First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Adnan Fayhan said Iraq has adopted a national plan to combat water hyacinth, characterizing its rapid spread as a major challenge that has worsened the country's water scarcity crisis.

According to Water Resources Minister Muthanna Al-Tamimi, parliament had allocated funding for the campaign, with disbursement expected within two days. He added that the ministry's Iraq Company and other ministry departments would begin removal operations immediately, while also launching a separate effort to reduce water pollution in the country's rivers.

Water hyacinth, native to South America, is considered one of the world's most invasive aquatic plants. It spreads rapidly on freshwater surfaces, forming dense mats that block sunlight, reduce oxygen levels, obstruct irrigation canals and waterways, and damage aquatic ecosystems and fisheries. In Iraq, its expansion has become a growing environmental challenge, particularly in the Euphrates basin and the southern provinces, where favorable climatic conditions and nutrient-rich waters have accelerated its spread.

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