Characterization of the Bago Sub-basin Pilot implementing the EU Water Framework Directive

Summary

The aim of this report is to characterize the Bago Sub-basin, located in the Bago Region in the south-central part of Myanmar. The report presents the different characterization steps, including methods for identifying water use and water users, economic analysis of water usage, monitoring and ultimately a risk assessment of water bodies with respect to the goal of reaching good ecological status. Major pressures to the streams in this area are domestic waste water run-off, heavy garbage littering, construction of dams and other hydro morphological alternations, deforestation, sand mining and gold mining, as well as runoffs from plantations and agricultural areas. There is not much heavy industry in this area, although saw mills, fish farms/ponds, pulp industry and gold mining may influence on the water quality in some areas. A biological and water chemical monitoring program is proposed based on the occurring pressures. Based on data presented is this report, water bodies were classified as “at risk”, “possibly at risk” and “not at risk” of having good status. There were uncertainties about the risk assessment in several areas because little information was available. However, the areas near and downstream the Bago City are with no doubt “at risk”.