"Agencies work to bring Inle Lake back from the brink"

The department of Irrigation has the difficult task of reducing sediment- mainly by building
dams to trap debris before it reaches the lake. Six dams up to 1400 feet long as well as
137 smaller dams have been built on rivers and streams that feed into the lake. So far,
sedimentation on two out of four major inflows is under control. But sediment is building
up too quickly for some of the dams to handle. One of the large dams is already out of use
because sediment has spilled over the top.

The department also destroys wild or deserted floating islands- providing safe navigation,
widening the lake's surface and enlarging its water-storage capacity. The department does
its best with limited resources.

On the boat ride from the town of Nyaung Shwe to Inle lake, the wide stream opens up into
a vista of plant life growing wild on the water's surface. Four square kilometres here are
set aside as a wildlife reserve where fishing and bird hunting are forbidden. The reserve
is essential habitat for fish and birds.

Conservationists agree community participation is key to saving the lake. But they say it is
difficult to convince impoverished residents to follow environmental rules.

When the elders are gone, the new generation remains. So enlightening them will help them
grow as good caretakers. It is also crucial to show local farmers there are alternatives
to harmful chemical fertilizers. More research is needed and demonstration plots should be
set up, so villagers can see for themselves how the alternative work.

Cooperation from the tourism industry is also crucial. Hotels on the lake are motivated to
clean up around their own property, but their efforts should be on a larger scale.

Tourism benefits the conservation effort because it brings in international experts, allowing
local activists to glean some of their knowledge.

A comprehensive management plan for the lake is urgently needed, and can only come with close
cooperation between local and international experts and the government. But environmentalists
are confident there is still time to reverse the damage at Inle. We must cooperate more closely
and make an all-out effort to save the lake in time.