Hyacinth covers about 40% but plants are showing bug strain

23/01/2025News

About 40% of Hartbeespoort Dam is currently covered by hyacinth. However, the Centre for Biological Control (CBC) said the plants started to show distress due to the Megamellus bugs.

Hyacinth coverage is at approximately 40%.

A large number of fish deaths was reported at various shores of the dam over the past weeks. According to Casper Kruger of Hartbeespoort Fisheries, the deaths can be attributed to a lack of oxygen under the thick mat of plants. “There are currently lots of young fish and if the wind suddenly blows a thick hyacinth mat over the schools of fish, it cuts off oxygen. We have been installing aerators at various points to assist where fish were dying,” Kruger said.
Magalies Water, which is steering the Hartbeespoort Dam Remediation Project, said this week it was investigating the fish deaths and dam conditions. “Magalies Water is in the process of gathering more information as it pertains to the developments on the dam and we will issue a statement later this week,” said spokesperson Bulelwa Mbali-Khoele.
The CBC’s Dr Kelby English said an inspection and bug count on the dam this week showed that Megamelus numbers on the dam are still increasing. The population is spreading through the hyacinth mat and the bugs are mating, meaning their numbers will grow exponentially. It is expected that the plants will die in late February as they did last year,” English said.