Aquatic Weed Management in Landing Sites on Lakes Kyoga and Albert:

Date:2021-06-08

Prepared by:Yasser Mahmoud

Channel maintenance research institute conducting a pilot project for exploring new technologies for controlling aquatic weeds on Lakes Kyoga and Albert. The overall goal of the project is to manage the aquatic weed and protect the integrity of Lakes Kyoga and Albert from degradation caused by invasive aquatic plants through maximizing prevention of aquatic weeds, enabling early detection and rapid response and ensuring that the response to the new or existing invasions includes science- based approaches to reduce or eradicate aquatic weeds. The project conducts several activities, Wanseko landing site was selected to represent Albert Lake while Bugondo landing site was selected to represent Lake Kyoga. Infestation percentage of aquatic weeds in the two studied lakes and two landing sites were determined using two methods, the first survey and classification from the field observations, and the second, determining infestation percentage of aquatic weeds by using satellite imagery. Manual weed maintenance tools were designed, tested, and evaluated, manufactured from steel using materials available in local market in Kampala. Buying the biogas units components and assembling them. The chopped weeds, animal wastes, and water were mixed according to the designed ratios to feed the biogas units. After three weeks, the units were ready to produce gas, and benefiters using the new energy source in their cooking. The project team applied training courses in the field of manual weed control for workers and farmers, biogas production for communities, and aquatic weed management. Impact of aquatic weed management on community was measured, reinforce the manual weed control and to clarify the biogas production process to support them on safe elimination of aquatic weeds and usingweed as energy resources.