Aquatic Weeds Management Department

The department concerns with survey and classification of aquatic weeds and develop appropriate procedures for weed removal from the channels through mechanical, biological or manual procedures. The department also develops and evaluates the required maintenance programs for managing aquatic weeds removal at the national scale. In addition, the department evaluates performance of mechanical equipments used in aquatic weeds' removal. The department includes four technical units as follow:-

A- Aquatic Weeds Survey and Algae Classification Unit

Unit activities include:-
- Identifying and classifying weeds and algae species.
- Assess aquatic weed infestation in the waterways using various methods and assess their side effects.
- Identify the environmental factors and impacts that enhance aquatic weed overgrowth and methods of mitigations.

B- Aquatic Weed Control Unit

Unit activities include:
- Prepare integrated maintenance programs for managing overgrowth of weeds.
- Evaluate, technically and economically, the performance of mechanical equipment used for weed removal.
- Evaluate applied aquatic weeds maintenance programs (mechanical, biological and manual).
- Study the use of secondary agricultural products to control algae blooming in the waterways.

C- Biological Weeds Control Unit

Unit activities include:
- Evaluate using various biological means (fish, insects, fungus, etc.) to manage weed overgrowth in open channels.
- Artificial propagation of the herbivorous fish, grass carp.

D- Feasibility Study Unit

Unit activities include:
- Economical and social studies on maximizing the use of aquatic weeds.
- Economical evaluation of various applied methods on canal maintenance.
- Economical evaluation of various aquatic weeds removal procedures and weed’s barriers.
- Apply the participatory approach with beneficiaries to evaluate CMRI field works.
- Economical and social evaluation of aquatic weed's barriers.