The St Lucia Wetlands Park is in danger of being destroyed by sea water is flowing into it, the Wetlands Park Authority warned on Friday.
The estuary mouth was breached by high seas last month after being closed for five years.
The large quantity of sea water flowing into the St Lucia lake was already having a negative effect on vegetation, birds and fish.
The Wetlands Park Authority chief executive, Andrew Zaloumis, said the submerged Potamogeton water plant and the reed beds were being killed by the saltwater entering the lake.
Zaloumis said there were some positive effects.
”The high inflow of seawater will bring fish, larval crabs and prawns into the estuary. These will grow up in the estuary where the decaying vegetation provides an abundant source of food.”
But he warned that unless it rained soon, the inflow of seawater would severely affect the functioning of the St Lucia Lake. — Sapa