Yet, water hyacinth does provide many benefits. In many rivers and streams, it prevents the extreme bank erosion caused by coastal construction and boat traffic. It acts as a barrier buffering the wave action known to wash away bank soil and lessens the flow of water, causing soil particles to settle on the bank. This is especially true in densely populated regions where erosion is a serious problem. Water hyacinth has a fibrous root system known to improve fish and invertebrate habitat by providing extra shade and cover from predators.
New studies show that water hyacinth is a valuable bioremediation organism.
It is capable of removing large amounts of organic pollutants and reducing deleterious levels of nutrients. Some scientists are considering using water hyacinths in artificial wetlands designed to treat agricultural and human sewage. Nations that consider water hyacinth a pest are involved in aggressive control programs. Traditional control involves pulling up the plants by hand or by using simple machines. Obviously, this is not economically feasible in many countries and does not remove all of the plants.