Integrated assessment of groundwater use for improving livelihoods in the dry zone of Myanmar.

Abstract

The publications in this series cover a wide range of subjects-from computer modeling to experience with water user associations-and vary in content from directly applicable research to more basic studies, on which applied work ultimately depends. Some research reports are narrowly focused, analytical and detailed empirical studies; others are wide-ranging and synthetic overviews of generic problems. Although most of the reports are published by IWMI staff and their collaborators, we welcome contributions from others. Each report is reviewed internally by IWMI staff, and by external reviewers. The reports are published and distributed both in hard copy and electronically (www.iwmi.org) and where possible all data and analyses will be available as separate downloadable files. Reports may be copied freely and cited with due acknowledgment. About IWMI IWMI's mission is to provide evidence-based solutions to sustainably manage water and land resources for food security, people's livelihoods and the environment. IWMI works in partnership with governments, civil society and the private sector to develop scalable agricultural water management solutions that have a tangible impact on poverty reduction, food security and ecosystem health.

Groundwater as a Source of Drinking Water in Southeast Asia and the Pacific: A Multi-Country Review of Current Reliance and Resource Concerns

“…Pavelic et al explore the potential for groundwater to support agricultural expansion in the Dry Zone, finding rates of replenishment lower than expected [53]. Rigorous assessment of groundwater interventions, and management that protects groundwater for community uses and the environment are needed.…”

Approach to Assessment of Soil and Water Contamination by Mining Activities in Mandalay Region, Myanmar

“…Water Resources Utilization Department (WRUD) and the Department of Development Affairs firstly reported the concentration of arsenic for the national-scale survey supported by some international NGOs. According to that previous survey data, arsenic concentration of groundwater has been found in some places of Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway regions are higher than the WHO drinking water guideline value of 10μg/L [19]. Save the Children Fund, (UK) conducted as a preliminary study in March-May 2000.…”

Water quality and physical hydrogeology of the Amarapura township, Mandalay, Myanmar

“…Hydraulic conductivity was measured on site and recharge was estimated using precipitation data from the Climate Research Unit (CRU; Harris et al 2014). Data from the International Water Management Institute's hydrogeologic study in the dry zone of Myanmar estimated infiltration rates at 10% of annual rainfall (Pavelic et al 2015). In the unconfined Amarapura Aquifer, connected with the Irrawaddy River, infiltration is assumed to equal recharge; therefore, recharge was estimated as a percentage of precipitation (10%).…”

“…The infiltration percentage of 10% from the IWMI report was applied to the CRU average annual rainfall data for Mandalay of approximately 1,100 mm/year (Harris et al 2014;Pavelic et al 2015); therefore, recharge is 110 mm/year (3.01 × 10 −4 m/day). An effective porosity of 25% is assumed in calculating average linear velocities (v x ) for comparison with modeling results.…”

“…Another indicator of anthropogenic waste is E. coli, whose presence is commonly related to human waste, can cause severe diarrhea, and is often associated with other waterborne pathogens (WHO 2008). In Myanmar, it is estimated that 38 children per 1,000 live births (3.8%) die before the age of 5, which is mainly attributed to waterborne diseases and malnutrition (Pavelic et al 2015). During the wet season, 100% of dug wells and 33% of tube wells sampled contained unsafe levels of E. coli for drinking water.…”