Mong Pal Lake Proposed Wildlife Sanctuary
Location:
19°47'-20°12'N, 96°45'-97°06'E; about 30 km south of Inle Lake, in the Balu Chaung Valley of Southern Shan State Forest Division, Shan State.
Area:
62,208 ha.
Altitude:
840m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.10.4
Wetland type:
15 & 17
Description of site:
A large hydroÄelectric and irrigation reservoir in the steep-sided, flat-bottomed Balu Valley. The lake was created in 197 1-72 after the construction of a dam on the Balu River at Mong Pai, 65 km downstream from the outlet of Inle Lake. The reservoir is 56 km long and mostly between five and 16 km wide. It contains a number of islands including Loi Pan Sone (1,236 ha), Ho Tein (1,198 ha) and Lonka (1,175 ha). At the end of the dry season and for much of the monsoon period, the water level is low; extensive mudflats are exposed and some of the islands become connected to the shore. The Balu valley to the north contains a mosaic of small lakes and marshes, and may sometimes be inundated.
Climatic conditions:
The climate is monsoonal with an average annual rainfall of about 1,370 mm (at Inle Lake, 30 km to the north). The wettest period is May to September, although rain during the dry season is more frequent on the Shan Plateau than elsewhere in Burma.
Principal vegetation:
There is relatively little aquatic vegetation because the lake is still young and is subject to extensive drying out. There is some Eichhornia crassipes along the margins, and rather sparse sedges and grasses emerge from the shallow water along the northwest shore of the lake. It seems likely that the extensive shallows in the northern part of the lake will eventually be colonized by dense marshes of reeds and grasses. The three larger islands and adjacent hills are covered with dry upper mixed deciduous forest. Some of the small islets to the north of Ho Tein island have a few trees rooted in shallow water.
Land tenure:
No information.
Conservation measures taken:
None.
Conservation measures proposed:
It has been proposed that the lake and its immediate environs be designated as a Wildlife Sanctuary (FAO, 1985a & 1985b; Sayer & Saw Han, 1983). The Forest Department has also proposed that an extensive area of the Balu Chaung Valley extending from the Mong Pal Dam to south of Lawsawk be designated as a Catchment Protection Area (FAO, 1985a).
Land use:
There are several villages on the shores of the lake. The principal livelihood is fishing and farming; crops include coffee, Citrus fruit and barley.
Disturbances and threats:
The local human population causes some disturbance to waterfowl populations, but much less so that at Inle Lake to the north.
Economic and social values:
No information.
Fauna:
A very important wintering area for migratory waterfowl, supporting a higher diversity and density of species than Inle Lake. Waterfowl observed by Sayer and Saw Han (1983) during a brief survey in February and March 1983 included at least 250 Tachybaptus ruficollis and:
150 Phalacrocorax carbo 100 Egretta intermedia
25 Ardea purpurrea 50 A. cinerea
400 Dendrocygna javanica 300 Nettapus coromandelianus
2,000 Anas penelope 300 A. poecilorhyncha
50 A. acuta 500 A. querquedula
10 Aythya nyroca 2,000 Fulica atra
Other waterbirds recorded during the survey included Ardeola grayii. Bubulcus ibis, Egretta garzetta, E. alba, Pandion haliaetus, Circus melanoleucos, Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Metopidius indicus, Tringa glareola, Gallinago sp and Larus brunnicephalus. There is a small breeding colony of herons and egrets on an islet to the north of Ho Tein island. The endangered eastern race of the Sarus Crane Grus antigone sharpii is said to occur in small numbers in the marshes between Mong Pai Lake and Inle Lake. A six month old crane seen in captivity in March 1983 reportedly came from somewhere in the Mong Pai area (Sayer & Saw Han, 1983). However, local people report that the numbers of cranes have decreased markedly in recent years, and the population, if it still exists, must be considered to be seriously endangered.
Special floral values:
None known.
Research and facilities:
The lake was surveyed in Febuary and March 1983 (Sayer & Saw Han, 1983). Good accommodation facilities are available at the dam site.
References:
FAO (1985a & 1985b); IUCN (in prep); Sayer & Saw Han (1983); Thet Tun & Sayer (1983).
Criteria for Inclusion:
2b, 3b.
Source:
See references.