Myanmar Healthy Rivers Initiative (MHRI)

2015-2017Rivers for life and livelihoods:

classification of river health in the Ayeyarwady and Thanlwin River Basin

Rivers are open ecosystems connecting the mountains to the sea

Water Energy Sediments Nutrients

Rivers are the life blood of Myanmar communities• The Ayeyarwady and Thanlwin have

supported a diverse array of communities in Myanmar for centuries.

• Myanmar people derive their livelihood from the natural resources and ecosystem services of the rivers

• The rivers are also central to cultural and spiritual traditions of many ethnicities

Myanmar’s rivers are also catalyzing economic growth

Transport

Mining

Energy

Agriculture & Irrigation

Forestry

Industry & manufact.

Tourism

Rivers require careful management

• Without careful management and planning, development can disrupt the balance– Degrading the ecosystems

and natural resource base– Widening the economic

gap between rich and poor

Murray-Darling River mouth

MHRI: Ecosystems are the foundation of all river use

Culture Livelihoods Economy

• Project objective: to develop and test a River Health Framework for Myanmar which allows government and communities to monitor the status of the ecosystem services they value and provides evidence for informed, integrated water resource planning.

River health frameworks• A River Health Framework is a

resource kit. It includes :– Characterisation of the main users,

uses and values of river systems – A set of simple environmental

indicators specifically designed to monitor changes and trends in these uses.

– Guidelines on how to implement and analyse river health monitoring and reporting,

– A set of assessment tools and approaches.• What ecosystem services are valued by

communities and sectors?• How is the health of these ecosystem

services changing over time?http://healthywaterways.org/

River Health Frameworks in Myanmarfrom Space to the riverbank

Remote sensing

Conventional monitoring

Community monitoring

From space:

Land use changeFlooding & droughtSediment transportErosion++

From the riverbank:

Oral historiesBiodiversityFish catchHabitat conditionsPollution ++

Main project outputs1. Healthy River vision statement for

different stakeholders in each basin

2. River Health Knowledge Base (data, maps & monitoring reports)

3. Healthy Rivers Report Card

4. River Health Framework (RHF) Resource Kit

5. Project proposal for upscaling

Building evidence for integrated, sustainable watershed management

Myanmar Water

Framework Directive

Basin development

planning

Livelihood support

programs

RIVER HEALTH FRAMEWORK

HR visions & values

HR knowledge

baseHR report

card

Project outcomes1. The River Health Framework (RHF), its indicators and participatory

monitoring is used to integrate ecosystem services into the Myanmar Water Framework Directive.

2. The National Water Resource Committee (NWRC) Water Expert Group and Myanmar research communities use the results of the RHF as evidence to inform river basin planning.

3. Civil society/communities (including women) better understand river health and can make use of this knowledge to better express their needs and concerns in the debate on river development and planning.

• Thank you for attention

Project partners

Robyn JohnstonTeam leader SalweenR.Johnston@cgiar.org

Tarek KetelsenTeam leader Ayeyarwadytarek.ketelsen@icem.com.au