New invasive aquatic plant threatens Drongelens Kanaal |
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Waterschap Aa en Maas removes hundreds of tonnes of water primrose from the water
Waterschap Aa en Maas is dealing with a large infestation of water primrose in the Drongelens Kanaal. The invasive alien species grows rapidly and can form dense floating mats. Management teams are therefore working intensively to remove the plant from the water and the banks.
| Image for illustration, generated with AI |
Water primrose is a plant from South and Central America that has spread in the Netherlands as an invasive alien species. The plant grows from shallow banks into the water. Its stems can grow up to three metres long and, under favourable conditions, quickly form large mats on the water surface.
Fast-growing species forms dense mats
The biomass of water primrose can double within 15 to 90 days under suitable conditions. Detached stem fragments can float away with the water and grow into new plants elsewhere. This can lead to the formation of new infestations.
The dense mats displace other plants and can obstruct the flow of water through waterways. Water primrose is also listed on the European Union list of invasive alien species. Species on this list are subject to regulations aimed at preventing further spread.
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A small piece of stem can grow into a new infestation
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Hundreds of tonnes of plant material removed from canal
Aa en Maas is currently removing large quantities of plant material from the Drongelens Kanaal. According to the water authority, this involves hundreds of tonnes of vegetation. Ecologist Janneke van der Loop describes the situation as worrying in an interview with Brabants Dagblad. The water authority has been fighting floating pennywort for years, but sees water primrose as a new challenge.
The control of water primrose is not new for Aa en Maas. The species has been included for some time in Brabant's invasive species policy as an aquatic plant that requires active control or management to prevent spread and damage.
Preventing further spread
For water managers, preventing further spread is the main priority. After all, loose plant fragments can create new infestations. Aa en Maas is therefore not only dealing with removing the current vegetation, but also with preventing plant material from spreading further through the water system.
The approach in the Drongelens Kanaal shows how quickly an invasive aquatic plant can develop into a major management challenge. For municipalities and other land managers, early detection and rapid action remain important to prevent large infestations.
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Early detection and intervention should prevent small infestations from developing into major management problems
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This article was previously published on 17 September 2026 on the website of Stad + Groen.
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