Global Challenges

Popular artificial lake almost overgrown with invasive species

The artificial lake Suchitlán in the Latin American country of El Salvador is almost completely covered by the invasive plant watercress, reports AFP. The lake is usually a popular tourist destination, but according to the news agency, it is currently reminiscent of a lush meadow.

It affects fishermen, restaurant owners and boaters. 52-year-old Julia Álvarez, who drives a boat on the lake, says that the problems are not new, but worse than they usually are.

– Now it has gone too far.

According to biologist Cidia Cortés, this is partly explained by pollution, including heavy metals.

Expert: “It’s like pouring fertilizer into the lake”

The spread of the invasive plant watercress in Lake Suchitlán in El Salvador is partly due to pollution, biologist Cidia Cortés told AFP. Among other things, aluminum, arsenic and lead flow into the lake, according to the expert.

– It’s like pouring fertilizer into the lake. The algae feed on it and grow explosively.

The artificial lake is almost completely overgrown, which has hit the tourism industry hard.