Carpet Characteristics of Eichhornia Crassipes [Mart.] Solms (Water hyacinth) in the Winam Gulf (Lake Victoria, Kenya)

Abstract

The occurrence and spread of the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes [Mart.] Solms), in the Winam gulf has created numerous attributes to the human population that live around the lake, thereby making its control a priority. Navigation within the lake is a major economic activity that has been greatly affected. Before this study, little was known about the characteristics of these weed carpets, and specifically the weight that a healthy inter- connected or entangled carpet can support before it was able to sink or even get submerged. Can a light herbivore or human stranded in the lake walk on a healthy carpet to safety?. In order to better understand these unknown, a study was initiated at five locations (ie; Dunga beach, Kisumu pier, Kusa, Kobala and Kendu bay) within the lake that appeared to contain healthy dense carpets. Carpet connectivity, mat buoyancy, distribution of mass …