Indawgyi Lake

Indawgyi Lake
	Inawgyi Lake
Geographical location	Kachin State , Myanmar
Tributaries	Nam Yin, Hka Chaung, Nam San, Da Chaung Well Mun Chaung
Drain	Indaw Chaung
	Data
Coordinates	25 ° 10 '39 " N , 96 ° 21' 55" E Coordinates: 25 ° 10 '39 " N , 96 ° 21' 55" E
Altitude above sea level	180 m above sea level NHN
surface	12,000 ha
length	23.8 km
width	10 km
Maximum depth	22, 19 m

Lake Indawgyi ( Burmese အင်းတော်ကြီး ; MLCTS: ang: dah kri: [ʔɪ́ɴdɔ̀dʒḭ́]) is located in the Kachin state in northern Myanmar and is the third largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

geography

General

Lake Indawgyi lies in the middle of a natural basin extending from north to south, which in turn is surrounded by a mountain range (highest point: 1180 m). It is located in the inner volcanic part of the Tertiary Basin in Burma, consisting of a complex of ultra-basic rocks. With a length of 23.8 km and a width of up to 10 km, the lake has an area of 12,000 hectares. It is a maximum of 22 m deep, but in large areas significantly shallower. During the rainy season, the lake expands horizontally by 5 to 10 m along the flat areas of the shore and floods them. The soils of the Indawgyi Basin are formed from nutrient-rich alluvium that was deposited there with the watercourses of the surrounding mountains. There are many wetlands in the Indawgyi Basin, some of which have already been converted into rice fields due to the high soil fertility. The lake has several tributaries, especially many streams from the surrounding mountain range. The main tributaries are Nam Yin Hka Chaung in the southwest, which forms an extensive delta with wetlands and floating leaf vegetation, Nam San Da Chaung in the northwest and Na Mun Chaung in the southeast. The Indaw Chaung in the north represents the outflow of the lake, it later flows into the Ayarwaddy.

climate

In the area of Lake Indawgyi there is a subtropical monsoon climate with mild, dry winters, heat in spring and rainy summers (Köppen-Geiger classification: Cwa). The driest months are December and January, the wettest months are June, July and August. The average annual precipitation is 2203 mm, with an average annual temperature of 24.3 ° C. The next climate station is in Mytkyina, 180 km northeast, climate data are only available from 1961 to 1990 and after 2012.

Climate data for 2013–2014 from Mytkyina

history

Origin of the name

Indawgyi means great (gyi) royal (daw) lake (in) in Burmese.

colonization

In the area around Lake Indawgyi there are 36 villages with a total of around 50,000 inhabitants. The inhabitants belong to the ethnic groups of the Shan, Kachin, Bamar, Kadu and Kanan. Six local languages are spoken at Lake Indawgyi: Azi, Maru / Longwa, Lacheyk, Jingpaw, Shan Ni and Burmese. The villages on the lake were founded between 1688 and 1989, the oldest were founded by fishermen who settled on the lake shore. People were attracted by the abundance of fish and forest products as well as the fertile soil in the region.

use

Most of the residents earn their living from subsistence farming. Wet rice cultivation is the main source of income for most of the people on Lake Indawgyi, followed by fishing. There are few sources of income outside of farming and fishing, limited to administration, nearby gold and jade mines, retail shops and small restaurants.

ecology

fauna

Lake Indawgyi is an important breeding, resting and wintering area for migratory birds on their way from China and Siberia to Australia and New Zealand. 166 bird species have been identified in the area, including 56 water bird species, 79 other wetland-dependent species and 31 forest species. This also includes many endangered species: Bengal vulture ( Gyps bengalensis ) CR , lesser-billed vulture ( Gyps tenuirostris ) CR, Sarus crane ( Grus antigone ) (VU), Malay stork or Java marabou ( Leptoptilos javanicus ) VU, Nepalese cassin ( Gallinago nemoricola ), Pallas's Fish eagle ( Haliaeetus leucoryphus ) VU, Nepal hornbill ( Aceros nipalensis ) VU, spotted eagle ( Aquila clanga ) VU, gray Pelican ( Pelecanus philippensis ) NT, Indian Darter ( Anhinga melanogaster ) NT, ferruginous duck ( Aythia nyroca ) NT, sickle duck ( Anas falcate ) NT, Pochard (Aythya ferina ) NT, and snow vultures or Himalayan eggs ( Gyps himalayensis ) NT. Both the structure and the diversity of the habitats on the lake favor a wide variety of bird species. In particular, the rich reed and wet grassland areas as well as the floating leaf vegetation are responsible for the high species diversity of the birds.

On the shores of Lake Indawgyi there is an important habitat for the endangered pig deer ( Axis porcinus ) EN, which depends on the seasonally flooded grassland on the lake and river banks. This habitat was largely converted into agricultural land and settlements and has now almost disappeared in Southeast Asia.

The forests of the surrounding mountain range are an important habitat for endangered primate species, especially Eastern white-browed gibbon ( Hoolock leuconedys ) VU and shortridge langur ( Trachypithecus shortridgei ) EN. In addition, the following endangered mammals have been identified in the Indawgyi area: Chinese pangolin ( Manis pentadactyla ) CR, Malay pangolin ( Manis javanica ) CR, red dog or Asian wild dog ( Cuon alpinus ) EN, Bengal plum lory ( Nycticebus bengalensis ) VU, sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) VU, Asiatic ( Ursus thibetanus ) VU, marbled cat ( Pardofelis marmorata ) VU, Zwergotter ( Aonyx cinerea ) VU, Binturong or Marderbär ( Arctictis binturong ) VU, Gaur ( Bos gaurus ) VU and Sambar or horse Hirsch ( Rusa unicolor ) VU .

93 species of fish are currently known for Lake Indawgyi and the tributaries in the Indawgyi Basin. Including two endemic species: Indostomus paradoxus is endemic to Myanmar, and Microphis dunckeri is only known from Lake Indawgyi and the area around Mytkyina; as well as 6 newly discovered fish species Lepidocephalichthys sp. indawgyi, Physoschistura sp. indawgyi, Schistura sp. cf. malaisei , Schistura sp. nov., Amblyceps sp. indawgyi, Acanthocobitis sp. indawgyi.

13 amphibian and 23 reptile species have been documented at Lake Indawygi, including eight lizard species, 13 snake species (two of which are poisonous: yellow-banded krait ( Bungarus fasciatus ) and monocle cobra ( Naja kaouthia )) and two turtle species .

Female (left) and male (right) of the white-browed gibbon in the north of Lake Indawgyi (Photo: Saw Soe Aung, FFI)

Hazard categories according to IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) :
CR	Critically Endangered (Critically Endangered)
EN	Endangered (endangered)
VU	Vulnerable (endangered)
NT	Near Threatened (potentially at risk)
LC	Least Concern (not at risk)

flora

The mountain range surrounding the Indawgyi Basin is covered by subtropical semi-evergreen wet forests that belong to the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin rainforest ecoregion (Fund 2014). These forests are a hybrid of tropical rainforests and subtropical montane wet forests with hardwoods. Common families are Musaceae, Melastomaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Begoniaceae. Teak ( Tectona grandis ), one of the world's most valuable types of wood, is a characteristic type of these forests and covers large areas. Other typical tree species are Dipterocarpus tuberculatus, Hopea odorata , Shorea obtusa , Gmelina arborea , Terminalia tomentosa, Salmalia insignis, Xylia dolobriformis, Lagerstroemia tomentosa, Woodfordia fruticosa, Dracotomelon feran and D. mangefera . Families from the temperate Sino-Himalayan flora such as Magnoliaceae , Thymeliaceae , Aceraceae , Juglandaceae , Fagaceae and Lauraceae also occur mainly on the higher mountain slopes, mixed with tropical and subtropical species from the Indo-Malayan flora. 71 species of wild plants are collected by local residents for medicinal purposes. Furthermore, forest products such as wild coconuts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, rattan, orchids and honey are collected for subsistence use and occasionally also for sale.

Water quality

A study carried out in 2004 certifies that the lake has generally good water quality, with an average visibility depth of 3.45 m and a concentration of dissolved oxygen at 1 m depth of 4.71 mg / l. A study carried out in 2015 examined macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, phytoplankton, and water and sediment chemistry. It shows a significant burden on the lake ecosystem from gold mines, gravel and sand mining at tributaries. These cause water turbidity and sedimentation, what

Lack of light,
Suffocation of benthic habitats,
decreased oxygen availability,
sediment-related cloudiness at river mouths in the lake,
changed water chemistry and acidification,
increased phosphate content in the lake: at river mouths the phosphate content is about 10 times higher than in other areas near the banks; (in the affected areas the pH value is 6.5, in less polluted areas it is 8.5) and
potential pollution with heavy metals

has the consequence. Unsustainable farming practices also pose a threat to and lead to the lake

Sedimentation due to a lack of natural vegetation on the banks of rivers and drainage ditches,
Erosion of river banks due to a lack of bank vegetation and damage caused by grazing animals on bank areas,
Artificial fertilizers and pesticides from rice cultivation pollute groundwater, lakes and watercourses and lead to eutrophication.

In addition, the invasive water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes is already threatening the vegetation in some areas, especially on the lake edge and in the Indaw Chaung River, leading to narrowing of waterways and suffocation of fish farming areas. To counteract this, the introduction of resource-saving agricultural practices, especially in rice cultivation, is urgently needed. Mines at the tributaries in particular pose a problem for the water quality and the integrity of the ecosystem.

Protection status

The lake and the forest areas on the western and southern mountain slopes were placed under protection as the Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in 1999, and the area has had the status of an "ASEAN Heritage Park" since 2003 and an "Important Bird and Biodiversity Area" since 2004. Lake Indawgyi was designated as a "Key Biodiversity Area" in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan because of its importance for the protection of birds and mammals and was nominated as a RAMSAR area in 2014 because of its exceptional importance for migratory birds. A nomination as a UNESCO biosphere reserve is currently being prepared.

Attractions

Around the lake there are several important structures such as monasteries, temples, churches and Nat shrines with great importance for Buddhism, Christianity and the prevailing spiritualism. The Shwemyintzu Pagoda has symbolic significance for the Buddhist population of the region and is located on an artificial island in the middle of the lake, which is connected to the shore by two footpaths (one for people and one, mostly below the surface, for the gods) . An annual festival is held here, which attracts up to 100,000 visitors and pilgrims. Shwetaung Pagoda is another important cultural monument for the Buddhists. It is located on a hilltop at the outflow of the Indaw Chaung River from Lake Indawgyi. There are also numerous Nat shrines of animistic origin, which are often located in forest fragments near the village.

View of the Shwemyintzu Pagoda

Economical meaning

fishing

Fishing is v. a. operated with stand nets and shrimp traps. Twenty-six species of food fish are used economically by the fishermen on Lake Indawgyi: Notopterus notopterus , Bangana devdevi, Cyclocheilichthys sp., Gibelion catla , Hypsibarbus myitkyinae, Labeo boga, Labeo dyocheilus, Labeo nandina, Osteobrama belangeri, Osteobrochita cunell, Osteobrochita cunellus rohita, Systomus sewelli, Sperata acicularis, Ompok pabda, Wallago attu , Clarias aff. batrachus, Heteropneustes kemratensis, Macrognathus aureus, Macrognathus cf. morehensis, Mastacembelus armatus, Mastacembelus pantherinus, Channa gachua , Channa marulius, Channa striata .

Fisherwoman at work

Drinking water production

The Indawgyi Lake is an important source of drinking water for the villagers on the lake shore; 82% of the local population get their drinking water from the lake.

Leisure and Tourism

Lake Indawgyi has great potential for natural and cultural tourism, but tourism in the region is currently still in its infancy. Most of the tourists come from Myanmar for the annual pagoda festival (up to 100,000). Up to 300 foreign tourists visit the area a year. a. for bird watching and for canoe trips. A local NGO (InnChiTu - "Lovers of Indawgyi") rents out canoes and provides guides, there are two small inns in the village of Lonton. The development of local bed and breakfasts is being planned.

literature

Aung, SS & Aung, TN (2011). Hoolock Gibbon and Biodiversity Survey in Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary Kachin State: Preliminary Report. Myanmar Primate Conservation Program, Yangon
Aung, SS & Lin, AK (2014). Biodiversity Survey in Shwe Taung Mountain Area in Indawgyi lake Wildlife Sanctuary, Mohnyin Township, Kachin State. Preliminary report. MDCP Yangon
Bamford M, Watkins D, Bancroft W, Carpenter G and J Wahl. 2008. Migratory Shorebirds of the East Asian - Australasian Flyway; Population Estimates and Internationally Important Sites. Wetlands International - Oceania. Canberra, Australia.
Botany Department, 2003: Biodiversity and ecological perspective of Indawgyi lake. Mytkina University Britz, R. 2010. Indostomus paradoxus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 May 2015.
CEPF (Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund), 2012: Ecosystem Profile. Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. 2011 Update Davies, J., Sebastian, AC and Chan, S. (Eds) (2004). A Wetland Inventory for Myanmar. Ministry of Environment, Japan
Forest Department (2012). National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, Naypyidaw Fund, W. (2014). Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin rainforests. Retrieved from http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/154649
IUCN (2015). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3 <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded April 2015
MOECAF (Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forests) (2015): Nomination dossier for Indawgyi Biosphere Reserve. Government of Myanmar, Nay Pyi Taw
Myint Kyaw Thura, Thaw Zin (2015): The herpetofauna assessment for Indawgyi Lake. Report to FFI / Yangon Ngwe Lwin, Linkie, M., Harihar, A., Saw Soe Aung, Aung Ko Lin, Momberg, F. (2015). Initiating the conservation of a newly discovered hog deer 1 population in Myanmar. Biological Conservation (submitted).
Stokes, RB (2012). A review of the geology of Myanmar (Burma), available 114 from http://surbiton--‐geological--‐services.com/media/Review%20of%20the%20Geology%20of%20Myanmar.pdf
Than, ZM (2011). Socio - economic analysis of the Indawgyi Lake area, Mohnyin township. Master thesis, University of Cologne http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/stufo/cd-0768/thesis.pdf
Zoeckler, C. (2015). The Bird Fauna of the Indawghy Lake. Report to FFI, Yangon

Web links

Commons : Lake Indawgyi - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files

Protected area development by the Michael Succow Foundation:

http://www.succow-stiftung.de/myanmar-development-of-a-indawgyi-lake-unesco-biosphere-reserve.html

Avifauna at Lake Indawgyi:

Video about Lake Indawgyi and nature conservation:

http://dw.com/p/1HRWF

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Stokes, RB (2012). A review of the geology of Myanmar (Burma), available 114 from http://surbiton--‐geological--‐services.com/media/Review%20of%20the%20Geology%20of%20Myanmar.pdf ( Page no longer available , Search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forests (MOECAF): Nomination dossier for Indawgyi Biosphere Reserve . Ed .: Government of Myanmar. Nay Pyi Taw 2015.
^ Meyers, K .: Assessment of the Readiness of Natma Taung National Park and Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary for World Heritage Nomination . Ed .: UNESCO Bangkok. 2014.
↑ Zoeckler, C .: The Bird Fauna of the Indawghy Lake. Report to FFI . Ed .: FFI. Yangon 2015.
↑ Ngwe Lwin, Linkie, M., Harihar, A., Saw Soe Aung, Aung Ko Lin, Momberg, F .: Initiating the conservation of a newly discovered hog deer 1 population in Myanmar . Ed .: Biological Conservation. Myanmar 2015.
↑ ^a ^b Geissmann, T., Grindley, ME, Ngwe Lwin, Saw Soe Aung, Thet Naing Aung, Saw Blaw Htoo, and Momberg, F .: The conservation status of hoolock gibbons in Myanmar . Ed .: Gibbon Conservation Alliance. Zurich, Switzerland 2013.
↑ Kottelat, M .: Fish species observed in Lake Indawgy and its Basin; November to December 2014 surveys . Ed .: Fauna & Flora International Myanmar Program. Yangon 2014.
↑ Kottelat, M .: Fish species observed in Lake Indawgy and its basin; December 2014 update . Ed .: Fauna & Flora International Myanmar Program. Delémont 2015.
^ Thura, MK, Zin, T .: The herpetofauna assessment for Indawgyi Lake . Ed .: Report to FFI. Yangon 2015.
^ Fund, W .: Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin rainforests . 2014 ( online ).
↑ Botany Department: Biodiversity and ecological perspective of Indawgyi lake . Ed .: Mytkina University. 2003.
↑ Davies, J., Sebastian, AC and Chan, S. (Eds): A Wetland Inventory for Myanmar . Ed .: Ministry of Environment, Japan. 2004.
↑ Lowe, S: Lake Indawgyi, Myanmar. Initial assessment of the biophysical condition of the lake and associated rivers . Ed .: Report prepared to FFI and MSF. Yangon 2015.
↑ Htet Khaung Linn: Gold mining, conflict threaten Myanmar's Indawgyi Lake. Myanmar Now, October 1, 2016, accessed July 1, 2016 .
^ Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA): Indawgyi Lake and Indawgyi River IBA. Bird Life International, 2004, accessed July 1, 2016 .
^ Than, ZM: Socio - economic analysis of the Indawgyi Lake area, Mohnyin township . Ed .: University of Cologne. 2011 ( online [PDF]).

[Stokes-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Stokes, RB (2012). A review of the geology of Myanmar (Burma), available 114 from http://surbiton--‐geological--‐services.com/media/Review%20of%20the%20Geology%20of%20Myanmar.pdf ( Page no longer available , Search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2

[:2-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forests (MOECAF): Nomination dossier for Indawgyi Biosphere Reserve . Ed .: Government of Myanmar. Nay Pyi Taw 2015.

[3] Meyers, K .: Assessment of the Readiness of Natma Taung National Park and Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary for World Heritage Nomination . Ed .: UNESCO Bangkok. 2014.

[4] Zoeckler, C .: The Bird Fauna of the Indawghy Lake. Report to FFI . Ed .: FFI. Yangon 2015.

[5] Ngwe Lwin, Linkie, M., Harihar, A., Saw Soe Aung, Aung Ko Lin, Momberg, F .: Initiating the conservation of a newly discovered hog deer 1 population in Myanmar . Ed .: Biological Conservation. Myanmar 2015.

[:1-6] Geissmann, T., Grindley, ME, Ngwe Lwin, Saw Soe Aung, Thet Naing Aung, Saw Blaw Htoo, and Momberg, F .: The conservation status of hoolock gibbons in Myanmar . Ed .: Gibbon Conservation Alliance. Zurich, Switzerland 2013.

[7] Kottelat, M .: Fish species observed in Lake Indawgy and its Basin; November to December 2014 surveys . Ed .: Fauna & Flora International Myanmar Program. Yangon 2014.

[8] Kottelat, M .: Fish species observed in Lake Indawgy and its basin; December 2014 update . Ed .: Fauna & Flora International Myanmar Program. Delémont 2015.

[9] Thura, MK, Zin, T .: The herpetofauna assessment for Indawgyi Lake . Ed .: Report to FFI. Yangon 2015.

[10] Fund, W .: Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin rainforests . 2014 ( online ).

[11] Botany Department: Biodiversity and ecological perspective of Indawgyi lake . Ed .: Mytkina University. 2003.

[12] Davies, J., Sebastian, AC and Chan, S. (Eds): A Wetland Inventory for Myanmar . Ed .: Ministry of Environment, Japan. 2004.

[13] Lowe, S: Lake Indawgyi, Myanmar. Initial assessment of the biophysical condition of the lake and associated rivers . Ed .: Report prepared to FFI and MSF. Yangon 2015.

[14] Htet Khaung Linn: Gold mining, conflict threaten Myanmar's Indawgyi Lake. Myanmar Now, October 1, 2016, accessed July 1, 2016 .

[15] Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA): Indawgyi Lake and Indawgyi River IBA. Bird Life International, 2004, accessed July 1, 2016 .

[16] Than, ZM: Socio - economic analysis of the Indawgyi Lake area, Mohnyin township . Ed .: University of Cologne. 2011 ( online [PDF]).