THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT OF INLE LAKE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000133 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, OES:ACOVINGTON BANGKOK FOR REO:JWALLER PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: SENV ECON EAGR PREL BM SUBJECT: THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT OF INLE LAKE Ref: Rangoon 35 RANGOON 00000133 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Inle Lake, Burma's second largest lake, has shrunk by one-third over the past fifty years. Silt and plants slide down the deforested mountainside into the lake during monsoon season, creating floating islands responsible for much of the water displacement. Inle farmers exacerbate the problem, expanding the islands into gardens where they grow crops for profit. The use of fertilizers and chemicals for on-lake farming, coupled by increasing pollution from industrial zones in nearby cities and the lack of sanitation in on-lake villages, pollutes the lake. Although scientists have yet to conduct studies on the effects of pollution on the lake, they believe that several species of fish have been lost. Government policies of introducing new species of fish into the lake to improve fishing conditions and encouraging increased tourism further destroy the lake's natural environment and threaten its future. End Summary. Burma's Second Largest Lake -------------- ¶2. (U) Located in southwestern Shan State, Inle Lake is Burma's second largest lake. Eighteen miles long and seven miles wide with an average depth of five feet, Inle Lake is home to numerous species of flora and fauna, including 23 types of fish, eels, tortoises, frogs, and snakes. Inle Lake is also one of Burma's most popular tourist destinations, with an estimated 200,000 tourists visiting each year. ¶3. (SBU) Although Inle is Burma's second largest lake, it has shrunk by almost one-third in the past fifty years, U Uga, Chairman of local NGO BANCA, told us. According to a 2007 study published by the University of Tokyo, Inle Lake once measured thirty-six miles long and eight miles wide, with an average depth of seven feet. Scientists blame Inle's water loss on the abundance of floating islands, which form from silt and plants that enter into the water shed annually. Several decades ago, the mountains surrounding the lake were covered with teak forests, which held the soil and plants in place. The mountainsides are now bare due to deforestation, which allows silt and plants to slide down the mountains into the water during monsoon season, U Uga noted. Local farmers exacerbate the problem by using floating islands as arable land. Each day, farmers collect mud and clay to add to the top of the floating islands, creating a place to grow crops. In some cases, these floating islands have become attached to the bottom of the lake, displacing water. As farmers expand these floating gardens to grow crops, the lake will grow smaller, U Uga predicted. Increasing Pollution Levels -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Although scientists have yet to conduct official studies on the lake's environment, local environmentalists are concerned about the rising levels of pollution in Inle lake. According to U Uga, the pollution in Inle comes from multiple sources. Twenty-nine rivers flow into the lake, several of which run through industrial zones in Taunggyi and Heho, located approximately 18 miles from Inle Lake. Some factories dump waste into these rivers, environmental analysts assert, which ultimately ends up in the lake. Additionally, farmers on the lake increasingly use chemicals and pesticides to grow more abundant crops, which leech into the water and poison marine species, U Uga noted. Pollution also comes from lake residents, some of whom dump trash into the lake on the outskirts of villages. None of the houses located on the lake have indoor plumbing systems, and waste directly enters the lake. The farmers and other residents lack knowledge about how agricultural and village activities affect the delicate ecosystem around the lake. RANGOON 00000133 002.2 OF 002 While the effects of the pollution on the lake are not clear, scientists believe that several species of fish have been lost due to pollution. Non-Native Species Taking Over -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Inle Lake was once the home to several species not found anywhere else in the world, including twenty-nine species of snail and nine species of fish. However, scientists believe that several of these species have become extinct due to pollution and the introduction of new species to the lake habitat. According to U Uga, the Burmese Government in 2000 introduced a new species of carp to the lake in an effort to improve fishing conditions. This plan backfired, he declared, as the new species killed off many of the native fish and greatly reduced the number of nga hpein, the traditional fish of the lake. While the new species of carp is bigger than other fish and thus fetches a higher price on the local market, fishermen consider themselves lucky when they catch nga hpein. ¶6. (SBU) Water hyacinths are abundant on Inle Lake, although they are not native to the lake. Scientists do not know how the plant entered the lake habitat, but agree that it is destroying the natural environment of the lake. Water hyacinth grows quickly and covers the top of the lake, robbing plants and animals of sunlight. According to Inle Lake residents, local authorities several years ago asked residents to help destroy the plants but abandoned its efforts in 2006. Negative Impact of Tourism -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The increasing number of tourists also destroys the environment of Inle Lake, U Uga told us. Currently, there are six hotels located on the lake, with more than a dozen located on the shore. The Burmese Government has plans to build new hotels on the lake to meet future demand. Visitors can only access on-lake hotels by motorboat, which translates into additional boats on the lake. While the boats themselves do not actually pollute the lake, they pump diesel fumes into the air, ruining air quality. Additionally, the loud motors contribute to noise pollution, ruining the tranquil nature of the lake. Comment -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The Burmese Government does little to protect the environment (Reftel) and instead establishes polices - such as introducing new fish species or encouraging tourism - with little thought about the long term environmental impacts. Environmentalists, concerned about the future of Inle Lake, want to conduct studies on the changing nature of Inle's environment but lack the funds and knowledge to do so. Inle's environmental problems will only become worse as long as the military rules. Until the Burmese Government recognizes that it must protect natural resources rather than exploit them for profit, the future of Burma's environment looks bleak. VILLAROSA