Recent heavy rain has flushed waterweed out of catchment areas to areas including Hays Inlet, Pine River estuaries, Bramble Bay and along the Redcliffe foreshore.
A Moreton Bay Regional Council spokesperson said the floating aquatic plant has been identified as Water hyacinth Eichhorina crassipes.

“This weed is a fresh water plant and will not survive in sea or salty water.  In time it will disintegrate and is unlikely to have any adverse impact on the marine ecosystem,” the spokesperson said.
“From an environmental perspective the purging of this weed from our catchments is a good thing because it allows for natural water flow and reduces problems associated with a weed congested river system.”
Originating in South America, Water hyacinth was probably introduced as an aquarium plant into Australia in the late 1800s and has spread to all mainland states and territories.