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{{short description|River in Myanmar}}{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

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| subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = CitiesMyitkyinaBhamo>MandalaySagaing>PakokkuBagan>Magway, Myanmar>Pyay|Hinthada}}2288 FEI >FIRST=YU TITLE=中国科学家确定雅鲁藏布江等四条国际河流源头 URL=HTTP://NEWS.SCIENCENET.CN/HTMLNEWS/2011/8/251272.SHTM WORK=XINHUA NEWS AGENCY kmabbr=on}} | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location=Irrawaddy Delta 2300cuft/s|abbr=on}}15,112cuft/sPUBLISHER=AQUASTATQUOTE=ADDING THE SECTIONS GIVES IRRAWADDY A DISCHARGE OF 476.9 CUBIC KILOMETERS PER YEAR, WHICH TRANSLATES TO 15,112 M3/SARCHIVE-DATE=2010-07-27, 60,000cuft/s|abbr=on}}| source1 = Ridong Qu headwaters, southeast Tibet, China: The geographical source.28049721display=inline}}| source1_elevation = 4760 m (approximately)| source2_location= Gada Qu headwaters, southeast Tibet, China: The northernmost source.| source2_coordinates= N'Mai RiverJames R Penn (2001) Rivers of the World {{webarchive>url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111233731weblink 1-57607-042-5}}, {{ISBN|978-1-57607-042-0}}. Page 115 paragraph 2, retrieved July 16, 2009| source3_location = Kachin State, Myanmar28509755display=inline}} (approximately)| source3_elevation = 4650 m (approximately)| source4 = Mali River | source4_location = Kachin State, Myanmar2748975display=inline}} (approximately)| source4_elevation = 3800 m (approximately)| source_confluence = | source_confluence_location = Damphet, Kachin State250970display=inline}}147abbr=on}}| mouth = Andaman Sea| mouth_location = Ale-ywa, Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar15199527display=inline,title}}0abbr=on}}| progression = | river_system = 404,200mi2TITLE=WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AT RIVER BASIN IN MYANMARWEBSITE=WATER ENVIRONMENT PARTNERSHIP IN ASIA (WEPA)ACCESS-DATE=26 MARCH 2017LANGUAGE=ENQUOTE=CATCHMENT AREA (000'S SQ-KM) CHINDWIN RIVER 115.30 UPPER AYEYARWADY RIVER 193.30 LOWER AYEYARWADY RIVER 95.60ARCHIVE-DATE=16 AUGUST 2016, | tributaries_left = Chindwin River, Mu River| tributaries_right = Myitnge| custom_label = | custom_data = Second longest source length:'Kaidag Qu/Gadag Qu: 48 km ⟶ Gyita Qu/Kelao Luo: 56 km ⟶ Dulong River: 182 km ⟶ N Mai Kha River: 231 km ⟶ Irrawaddy River: 2,210 km ⟶ Andaman Sea:' Total: 2,727 kmLongest source length:Quwa Qu/Ridong Ermei ⟶ Gyita Qu/Kelao Luo: 56 km ⟶...| extra = }}{{Contains special characters|Burmese}}The Irrawaddy River (, {{IPA-my|ʔèjàwÉ™dì mjɪʔ|pron}}, {{small|official romanisation:}} AyeyarwadyWEB, WRITING SYSTEMS: ROMANIZATION Government of the Union of Myanmar Notification 5/89,weblink United Nation World Stats Forum, 3 July 2019,weblink 28 July 2018, {{notetag|MLCTS erawa.ti mrac. From Indic revatÄ«, meaning "abounding in riches"JOURNAL, Ölmez, Mehmet, Etimoloji Sözlükleri Ãœzerine Kısa Bir DeÄŸerlendirme, Tanımı ve r-'li Yabancı Kelimelerin Türkçeye GiriÅŸ Yolları, Istanbul University Faculty of Letters Journal of Turkish Language and Literature, 28 June 2019, 59, 1, 121, 10.26650/tuded2019-0012, 198780156,weblink }}) is the largest river in Myanmar. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers,EB1911, Irrawaddy, 14, 839, James George, Scott, it flows from north to south before emptying through the Irrawaddy Delta in the Ayeyarwady Region into the Andaman Sea. Its drainage basin of about {{convert|404000|km2}} covers 61% of the land area of Burma, and contains five of its largest cities.BOOK, WWF, The Ayeyarwady River and the Economy of Myanmar, 2018-05-01, WWF, 2018, 9782940443062, As early as the sixth century, the river was used for trade and transport, and an extensive network of irrigation canals was developed to support agriculture. The river is still of great importance as the largest commercial waterway of Myanmar.WEB, Irrawaddy River {{!, Myanmar’s Largest River, Wildlife & History {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Irrawaddy-River |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}} It also provides important ecosystem services to different communities and economic sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.In 2007, Myanmar's military dictatorship signed an agreement for the construction of seven hydroelectric dams, yielding a total of 13,360 MW, in the N'mai and Mali Rivers, including the 3600 MW Myitsone Dam at the confluence of both rivers. Environmental organisations have raised concerns about the project's ecological impact on the river's biodiverse ecosystems. Animals potentially impacted include the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin and the critically endangered Ganges shark.{{anchor|Etymology|Toponymy|Name}}

Names

The name "Irrawaddy" is derived from Pali. IrāvatīWEB,weblink Irrawaddy etymology, myanmar.gov.mm, 17 January 2017,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100217041606weblink">weblink 17 February 2010, or Airāvatī (Erāvatī in Pali) is the name of the elephant mount of Sakka and Indra in Hinduism. Saka is an important deva in Buddhism and elephants were often a symbol for waterCalifornia State University, Chico – The Symbolism of Elephants in Indian Culture {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225020611weblink |date=25 December 2009 }} retrieved 13 July 2009 and were used as the name for several other rivers, such as the Achiravati. It can also be based on Iravati, who birthed the mythological elephant. The Irrawaddy gives its name to the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), which is found in the lower reaches of the river and known to help fishers who practice cast-net fishing. Though called the Irrawaddy dolphin, it has been also found in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.BOOK, Perrin, William F., William F. Perrin, Asian Marine Biology 14 (1997),weblink 1997, Hong Kong University Press, 978-962-209-462-8, 173, WEB,weblink Irrawaddy Dolphin, Tint Tun, 6 October 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080725115205weblink">weblink 25 July 2008, During the Age of Discovery, the Irrawaddy was also known to European explorers as the Pegu as the main river of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom,{{citation |first=Michael |last=Pearson |contribution-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327155061_'Lake_Chiamay_Asia's_mythical_mother_of_rivers'_The_Globe_Journal_of_the_Australian_and_New_Zealand_Map_Society_83_43-62_2018 |contribution=Lake Chiamay: Asia's Mythical Mother of Rivers |title=The Globe: Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Map Society |issue=83 |date=2018 |pages=43 ff }}. itself known as Pegu after its capital, now romanized as Bago. The modern Pegu or Bago River is a separate river, tributary to the Yangon.After Rudyard Kipling's poem, the river is sometimes referred to as 'The Road to Mandalay'.

Physiography

The Irrawaddy River bisects Myanmar from north to south and empties through the nine-armed Irrawaddy Delta into the Indian Ocean.

Sources

The Irrawaddy River arises by the confluence of the N'mai (Nam Gio) and Mali Rivers in Kachin State. Both the N'mai and Mali Rivers find their sources in the Himalayan glaciers of Upper Burma near 28° N. The eastern branch of the two, N'mai,Document about the floradiversity in Northern Kachin, in the N'mai watershed {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219182855weblink |date=19 December 2008 }}. Studies on Floradiversity of North-eastern Kachin Myanmar Section of Sino-himalaya (N'mai Hka-Than Lwin Water Division) – Ma Kalayar Lu, Myitkyina University, faculty of Botanics, 28-8-06. retrieved 6-12-2008. is the largest and rises in the Languela Glacier north of Putao.Burma Rivers Network {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709200930weblink |date=9 July 2009 }}, paragraph 3. Retrieved 14 July 2009 It is unnavigable because of the strong current whereas the smaller western branch, the Mali River, is navigable, despite a few rapids. Therefore, the Mali River is still called by the same name as the main river by locals.James R Penn (2001) Rivers of the World {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111233731weblink |date=11 January 2016 }}. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.] ABC-Clio {{ISBN|1-57607-042-5}}, {{ISBN|978-1-57607-042-0}}. Page 115 paragraph 2, retrieved 16 July 2009/ The controversial Myitsone Dam is no longer under construction at the convergence of these rivers.The town of Bhamo, about {{convert|240|km}} south of the Mali and N'mai river confluence, is the northernmost city reachable by boat all year round although during the monsoons most of the river cannot be used by boats. The city of Myitkyina lies {{convert|50|km}} south of the confluence and can be reached during the dry season.

Defiles

Between Myitkyina and Mandalay, the Irrawaddy flows through three well-marked defiles:Encyclopædia Britannica Online {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428130832weblink |date=28 April 2015 }} topic: Physical features » Physiography, paragraph 3. Retrieved 5-12-2008

• About {{convert|65|km}} downstream from Myitkyinā is the first defile.
• Below Bhamo the river makes a sharp westward swing, leaving the Bhamo alluvial basin to cut through the limestone rocks of the second defile. This defile is about {{convert|90|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest and is flanked by vertical cliffs about {{convert|60|to(-)|90|m}} high.
• About {{convert|100|km}} north of Mandalay, at Mogok, the river enters the third defile. Between Katha and Mandalay, the course of the river is remarkably straight, flowing almost due south, except near Kabwet,Kabwet, Myanmar: {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144639weblink |date=29 December 2016 }} topografische & klimatografische informatie over Kabwet where a sheet of lava has caused the river to bend sharply westward.

This sheet of lava is the Singu Plateau, a volcanic field from the Holocene. This field consists of magma from the fissure vents and covers an area of about {{convert|62|km2}}. The plateau is also known as Letha Taung.Global Volcanism Program {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514081036weblink |date=14 May 2013 }} – vulcanologic ranking.Leaving this plateau at Kyaukmyaung,WEB,weblink Google Maps, google.nl, 17 January 2017, live,weblink 18 January 2017, the river follows a broad, open course through the central Dry Zone"All areas with P/PET ratio less than 0.65" according to the definition of the Convention on Biological Diversity {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144631weblink |date=29 December 2016 }}, retrieved 16-12 – the Bamar people's ancient cultural heartlandThomas Streissguth, Myanmar in pictures {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111233731weblink |date=11 January 2016 }}, Twenty-First Century Books, 2007. {{ISBN|0-8225-7146-3}}. Retrieved 16-12. – where large areas consist of alluvial flats. From Mandalay (the former capital of the kingdom of Myanmar), the river makes an abrupt westward turn before curving southwest to unite with the Chindwin River, after which it continues in a southwestern direction. It is probable that the upper Irrawaddy originally flowed south from Mandalay, discharging its water through the present Sittaung River to the Gulf of Martaban, and that its present westward course is geologically recent. Below its confluence with the Chindwin, the Irrawaddy continues to meander through the petroleum producing city of Yenangyaung, below which it flows generally southward. In its lower course, between Minbu and Pyay, it flows through a narrow valley between forest-covered mountain ranges—the ridge of the Arakan MountainsRakhine State op Travel Myanmar {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905005309weblink |date=5 September 2016 }}Rakhine Mountain Range on The Free Dictionary Encyclopedia to the west and that of the Pegu Yoma Mountains to the east.Article about the Bago Mountains on Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Basic information about the Bago Division on the site of the Myanmar Government {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105210144weblink |date=5 January 2009 }}

The Irrawaddy Delta

The delta of the Irrawaddy begins about {{convert|93|km}} above Hinthada (Henzada) and about {{convert|290|km}} from its curved base, which faces the Andaman Sea. The westernmost distributary of the delta is the Pathein (Bassein) River, while the easternmost stream is the Yangon River, on the left bank of which stands Myanmar's former capital city, Yangon (Rangoon). Because the Yangon RiverInformation about sediment dynamics in the Yangon River at the site of National Center for Biotechnology Information {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144611weblink |date=29 December 2016 }}. Retrieved 17/12/2008 is only a minor channel, the flow of water is insufficient to prevent Yangon Harbour from silting up, and dredging is necessary. The relief of the delta's landscape is low but not flat.Profile of the Irrawaddy Delta {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222090313weblink |date=22 February 2017 }} from Henzhada to the river mouth, in feet The soils consist of fine silt, which is replenished continuously by fertile alluvium carried downstream by the river. As a result of heavy rainfall varying from {{convert|2000|to(-)|3000|mm|in}} a year in the delta,Map on the rainfall in Myanmar {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120175546weblink |date=20 November 2008 }} retrieved 17-12-2008. and the motion and sediment load of the river,A detailed documentation of sediment dynamics can be found in The Journal of Geology {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144539weblink |date=29 December 2016 }} the delta surface extends into the Andaman Sea at a rate of about {{convert|50|m}} per year.Encyclopædia Britannica Online {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428130832weblink |date=28 April 2015 }} Physiography, alinea 4. Retrieved 17-12-2008.

Hydrography

Due to monsoonal rains, which occur between mid-May and mid-October, the volume of the Irrawaddy and its tributaries varies greatly throughout the year. In summer, the melting of the snowHydrological Modeling of Large-scale Ungauged Basin Case Study: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) Basin, Myanmar {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511151717weblink |date=11 May 2011 }} (2006), University of Yamanashi & ICHARM {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716181431weblink |date=16 July 2017 }} by Ali Chavoshian, H. Ishidaira, K. Takeuchi, and J. Yoshitani, p. 6 fig. 6. Retrieved 18 July 2009 and glaciers in Northern Burma add to the volume. The average discharge near the head of the delta is between a high of {{convert|32600|m3}} and a low of {{convert|2300|m3}} per second. The discharge can be as high as 40,393 cubic meter per second in the rainy season.Page 11 Col 3 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122015523weblink |date=22 November 2010 }} Over a year, the discharge averages {{convert|15112|m3}}. Further North, at Sagaing, the weblink shows a 38% decrease in discharge compared to where the river enters the delta.UNC & GNRDC Composite Runoff Fields {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144603weblink |date=29 December 2016 }} for the Irrawaddy. Retrieved 18 July 2009 it also silted up around 278 tons of sand every year.Variation between high and low water levels is also great.WEB, Irrawaddy River – hydrology, Encyclopædia Britannica, 17 July 2009,weblink live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150428130832weblink">weblink 28 April 2015, At Mandalay and Prome, a range of {{convert|9.66|to(-)|11.37|m}} has been measured between low-water level and flood level respectively. Because of the monsoonal character of the rain, the highest point is recorded in August, the lowest in February.This variation in water level makes it necessary for ports along the river to have separate landing ports for low- and high-water. Still, low water levels have caused problems for ports along the river, as in the Bamaw–Mandalay–Pyay sectors, the shallowest point is as shallow as {{convert|60|cm|ft}}.WEB,weblink Shallow Irrawaddy, Today in Myanmar, 25 February 2009, 18 July 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090307194539weblink">weblink 7 March 2009, Within the basin, the average population density is 79 people/km2. For these people, the river supply amounts to 18,614 m3 per person per year.Water Resources eAtlas {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114115318weblink |date=14 January 2009 }} page 2. 1995 data, retrieved 16 July 2009

Sediments to the Sea

Collectively, the modern Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) and Thanlwin (Salween) rivers deliver >600 Mt/yr of sediment to the sea.JOURNAL, Liu, J.P., Kuehl, S.A., Pierce, A.C., Williams, J., Blair, N.E., Harris, C., Aung, D.W., Aye, Y.Y., 2020, Fate of Ayeyarwady and Thanlwin Rivers Sediments in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal., Marine Geology, 10.1016/j.margeo.2020.106137, free, 423, 106137, 2020MGeol.423j6137L, Most recent study shows: 1) There is little modern sediment accumulating on the shelf immediately off the Ayeyarwady River mouths. In contrast, a major mud wedge with a distal depocenter, up to 60 m in thickness, has been deposited seaward in the Gulf of Martaban, extending to ~130 m water depth into the Martaban Depression. Further, 2) There is no evidence showing that modern sediment has accumulated or is transported into the Martaban Canyon; 3) There is a mud drape/blanket wrapping around the narrow western Myanmar Shelf in the eastern Bay of Bengal. The thickness of the mud deposit is up to 20 m nearshore and gradually thins to the slope at −300 m water depth, and likely escapes into the deep Andaman Trench; 4) The estimated total amount of Holocene sediments deposited offshore is ~1290 × 109 tons. If we assume this has mainly accumulated since the middle Holocene highstand (~6000 yr BP) like other major deltas, the historical annual mean depositional flux on the shelf would be 215 Mt/yr, which is equivalent to ~35% of the modern Ayeyarwady-Thanlwin rivers derived sediments; 5) Unlike other large river systems in Asia, such as the Yangtze and Mekong, this study indicates a bi-directional transport and depositional pattern controlled by the local currents that are influenced by tides, and seasonally varying monsoons winds and waves.

Ecology

File:Pelecanus philippensis (Spot-billed Pelican).jpg|thumb|The spot-billed pelicanspot-billed pelicanFile:SaltwaterCrocodile('Maximo').jpg|thumb|Although the saltwater crocodile is not common in Myanmar, they do live in and near reserved forests. Attacks on peopleWEB,weblink MSN | Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos, NBC NewsNBC NewsNo complete and precise list of all the fish in the Irrawaddy river basin currently exists, but in 1996 it was estimated that there are about 200 species.BOOK, Allen, D.J., S. Molur, B.A. Daniel, The Status and Distribution of Freshwater Biodiversity in the Eastern Himalaya, 2010, IUCN, 22–23, 978-2-8317-1324-3, In 2008, it was estimated that the Irrawaddy ecoregion is home to 119–195 species of fish found nowhere else in the world (endemic). Several new species of fish have been described from the Irrawaddy river basin in recent years (for example, the cyprinid Danio htamanthinus in 2016 and the stone loach Malihkaia aligera in 2017), and it is likely that undescribed species remain.JOURNAL, Kullander, S.O., M. Norén, Danio htamanthinus (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), a new species of miniature cyprinid fish from the Chindwin River in Myanmar, 2017, Zootaxa, 4178, 4, 535–546, 10.11646/zootaxa.4178.4.5, 27811706, Sven O. Kullander, free, JOURNAL, Kottelat, M., A new genus and three new species of nemacheilid loaches from northern Irrawaddy drainage, Myanmar (Teleostei: Cypriniformes), 2017, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 65, 80–99, Maurice Kottelat, Among the most well-known species in the river is the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin with a high and rounded forehead, lacking a beak. It is found in discontinuous sub-populations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and South-East Asia.Along the north–south course of the Irrawaddy River, a number of notably different ecoregions can be distinguished.

Northern Mountains

The streams of the Nmai and Mali that form the Irrawaddy originate in high and remote mountains near the border with Tibet. This part of Myanmar, which extends north from Myitkyina and the Irrawaddy confluence, lies entirely outside the tropics. Rain falls at all seasons of the year, but mostly in the summer. The valleys and lower hill ranges are covered with tropical and subtropical evergreen rainforest instead of monsoon (deciduous) forest. This region is characterised by subtropical and temperate forests of oak and pine are found at elevations above {{convert|900|m}}. This evergreen forest passes into sub-tropical pine forest at about {{convert|1500|m}} feet. Above {{convert|1800|m}}, are forests of rhododendrons, and that in turn into evergreen conifer forest above {{convert|2400|m}} feet.

The Central Basin and Lowlands

The Irrawaddy river basin covers an approximate area of 255 {{convert|81|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.JOURNAL, The Irrawaddy River, L. Dudley Stamp, The Geographical Journal, May 1940, 95, 5, 329–352, 1787471, 10.2307/1787471, The Central Basin consists of the valley of the middle Irrawaddy and lower Chindwin. It lies within the 'dry zone' and consists almost entirely of plains covered with the teak-dominated Irrawaddy moist deciduous forests ecoregion, which surrounds dry forest patches in drier areas. The central basin receives little rain (ave 650mm per year) although it does flood quickly during the July–October storms. The one meteorological factor which does not vary greatly, and which is the most important for plant life, is atmospheric humidity. This is always high, except in the winter in certain localities. Humidity usually does not fall below 75% and is 90% or more for long periods during summer. Another feature is the prevalent southerly summer winds which erode the soil of the basin.The natural habitats of this central zone have been much altered for farming and there are few protected areas.

Irrawaddy dry forests

The predominant trees of the drier patches are the thorny Terminalia oliveri and the hardwood dahat teak (Tectona hamiltoniana) with stands of Indaing (Dipterocarpus tuberculatus) which is cut for timber. The wildlife includes many birds, small mammals and reptiles such as the huge Burmese python. However, most of the large animals including the tiger have been hunted out or seen their habitats disappear.

Irrawaddy Delta Area

File:Muthupet.jpg|thumb|A mangrove forestmangrove forestThe Irrawaddy River and its tributaries flow into the Andaman Sea through the Irrawaddy Delta. This ecoregion consists of mangroves and freshwater swamp forests. It is an extremely fertile area because of the river-borne silt deposited in the delta. The upper and central portions of the delta are almost entirely under cultivation, principally for rice. The southern portion of the ecoregion transitions into the Burmese Coast mangroves{{WWF ecoregion|id=im1404|name=Myanmar Coast mangroves|access-date=17 August 2009}} and is made up of fanlike marshes with oxbow lakes, islands, and meandering streams.{{WWF ecoregion|id=im0117|name=Irrawaddy Swamp Forests|access-date=17 August 2009}}Wetlands in Myanmar {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515195853weblink |date=15 May 2008 }}, Asian Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation. Retrieved 17 August 2009Birds of the delta are both winter visitors and passage migrants including great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), a wide variety of Anatidae, Eurasian coot (Fulica atra), about thirty species of migratory shorebirds, the whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida), the Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia), and the brown-headed gull (Larus brunnicephalus), which is very common. One of the most numerous wintering shorebird is the lesser sand plover (Charadrius mongolus), which occurs in flocks of many thousands along the outer coast of the delta. The wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola) and red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) are also abundant.In the late 19th century, the spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) nested in huge numbers in south Myanmar. One colony on the Sittaung River plain to the east of the delta was described in November 1877 as covering {{convert|300|km2|sqmi|sigfig=1}} and containing millions of birds. Immense colonies still bred in the area in 1910, but the birds had disappeared completely by 1939. Small numbers were regularly reported in the delta in the 1940s, but no breeding sites were located. {{As of|2010}}, no pelicans have been recorded, and it may well be that the species is now extinct in Myanmar.BirdLife Species Factsheet {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104234204weblink |date=4 January 2009 }} on the range of breeding spot-billed pelican populations, retrieved 8 August 2009Several species of large mammal occur in the delta, but their populations are small and scattered, with the possible exceptions of the Malayan sambar deer (Cervus unicolor equinus), Indian hog deer (C. porcinus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa), which have been reported from all Reserved Forests. Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) were once widespread throughout the country with numbers as high as 10,000 animals, but in the {{as of|2010|lc=on|alt=last decade}} numbers have dwindled, partly due to transferring the animals to logging camps.Disappearing Wild Elephants {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100219035736weblink |date=19 February 2010 }}, Environment issue 1, 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2009 Other species reported to be present include the leopard, Bengal tiger, crab-eating macaque, wild dog, and otters (Panthera pardus, P. tigris, Cuon alpinus, and Lutra species).Irrawaddy Delta Fauna {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515195853weblink |date=15 May 2008 }}, Asian Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, retrieved 8 August 2009.The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) can be found in the southern part of the delta. The species was formerly abundant in coastal regions, but population numbers have decreased because of a combination of commercial skin hunting, habitat loss, drowning in fishing nets and over-collection of living animals to supply crocodile farms.weblink" title="archive.today/20130105062452weblink">A population survey of the estuarine crocodile in the Ayeyarwady Delta, Oryx Volume 34 Issue 4, Pages 317 – 324. Retrieved 8 August 2009.It was at this river that a battle between a saltwater crocodile and a tiger was observed that ended with the reptile devouring the tiger.BOOK, The White Elephant: Or, the Hunters of Ava and the King of the Golden Foot, William, Dalton, Nabu Press, 2010, 978-1-148-55210-1, 239, Despite recent declines in the sea turtle populations, five species are known to nest in Myanmar at well known island and mainland beaches known as turtle-banks. These are the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).WEB,weblink Sea Turtles in Myanmar: Past and Present, Marine Turtle Newsletter 88:10–11, seaturtle.org/, 8 August 2009,

Tributaries

The Irrawaddy River has five major tributaries. As they flow through the northern tip of Myanmar – the Kachin State – they cut long north–south alluvial plains and relatively narrow upland valleys between the {{convert|2000|to(-)|3000|m|sigfig=1}} mountain ridges.Burma: Sahibs in the Shan States {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828011909weblink |date=28 August 2009 }}, The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia (1972), Alfred W. McCoy with Cathleen B. Read and Leonard P. Adams II. Chapter 3 "The Colonial Legacy", paragraph "Burma: Sahibs in the Shan States. Retrieved 2 August 2009. The rivers joining the Irrawaddy are, from north to south:

1. Taping River
2. Shweli River
3. Myitnge River
4. Mu River
5. Chindwin River

Economy and politics

File:Mandalay 32 TeakIndustry g.jpg|thumb|Pulling teak logs, made into large rafts and floated down the Irrawaddy River, ashore near MandalayMandalay(File:Irrawaddy67.jpg|thumb|Market activity in the Irrawaddy)As early as the sixth century, the Bamars were using the Irrawaddy to gain power in the region through trade and transport on the China – India route. By the twelfth century, a well-developed network of canals made for flourishing rice cultivation. Later, the river became a key economic tool of Imperial British interests, who set up trading ports along its shores.Irrawaddy River {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428130832weblink |date=28 April 2015 }} (2009). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 6 August 2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica.Today, the Irrawaddy is still the country's most important commercial waterway. Despite Mandalay's position as the chief rail and highway focus in northern Myanmar, a considerable amount of passenger and goods traffic moves by river. As the Irrawaddy Delta is one of the world's major rice-growing areas, one of the most important goods transported is rice. Teak logs – Myanmar is one of the world's top exporters – are floated down the river as large rafts. Before it is transported, teak has to be seasoned, because otherwise it won't float.EB1911, Teak, 26, 485, Dietrich, Brandis, James Sykes, Gamble, This happens by girdling, a practice where a deep circular cut through bark and sapwood is made into the heartwood. Other major goods that are transported from the nation's heartlands to Yangon for export are other foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton, and local commodities.Commercial transportation on the Irrawaddy is maintained for about {{convert|1300|km}}: from Hinthada to Bhamo ({{convert|1080|km}}) throughout the year, but from Bhamo to Myitkyina (200 km) for only seven months. More than {{convert|3200|km}} of navigable waterways exist in the Irrawaddy delta, and there is a system of connecting canals. The Sittang is usable by smaller boats, but the Salween River, because of its rapids, is navigable for less than {{convert|160|km}} from the sea. Small steamers and country boats also serve the coasts of the Rakhine State and Tanintharyi Region. On the Chindwin River, transportation is carried on by steam or diesel vessels throughout the year up to Homalin—about 640 km from its confluence with the Irrawaddy. Seasonal navigation is carried on into Tamanthi, which is {{convert|57|mi|km}} by river above Homalin.The Chindwin valley has no railroad and relies heavily on river transport. Chauk, downstream from the confluence in the oil-field district, is a petroleum port. It is linked to Yangon by road and rail. Hinthada, near the apex of the delta, is the rail junction for lines leading to Kyangin and Bassein (Pathein). A ferry operates between Hinthada on the west bank and the railway station at Tharrawaw on the east bank.{{Clear}}

Dams

Myanmar's military junta signed an agreement with China Power Investment Corporation in May 2007 for the construction of seven hydroelectric dams along the Irrawaddy, Mali, and N'Mai River in Kachin State. The total planned output of all seven plants will be 15,160 MWs of electricity, making it the largest hydropower project in Myanmar, surpassing the 7100 MW Tasang Dam in Shan State.Saviours Sought To Halt Irrawaddy River Dam Project {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144607weblink |date=29 December 2016 }} (14 March 2009) Nawdin Lahpai on Kachin News {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224062812weblink |date=24 February 2017 }}. Retrieved 17 September 2009.The following data is available for the dam locations:{| class="wikitable"|+ Capacity, Height and Length Data for the Dam Projects! Location !! Myitsone !! Chibwe !! Pashe !! Lakin !! Phizaw !! Khaunglanphu !! Laiza| –| –| 1,560The power generated by the dams will be transmitted to other countries in the South-East Asian region, with most going to China.China in Burma: The Increasing Investment of Chinese Multinational Corporations in Burma's Hydropower, Oil and Natural Gas and Mining Sectors {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144539weblink |date=29 December 2016 }} (2008) EarthRights International {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913022129weblink |date=13 September 2017 }}. Retrieved 17 September 2009 Other countries targeted for power export are Thailand, India and Bangladesh.The largest of the seven, the Myitsone Dam, is located at the confluence of the Mali and N'Mai Rivers at the creation of the Irrawaddy. Although the China Power Investment Corporation is project manager of the Confluence Region Hydropower Projects.Supervisory Office of Confluence Region Hydropower Project Opened {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501034219weblink |date=1 May 2011 }} on the Myanmar Information Website {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917002101weblink |date=17 September 2009 }} 7 May 2007. Paragraph 4. Retrieved 17 September 2009 ParConfluence Region Hydropower Projects, several companies have been or are currently involved in the preparation, construction and financing of the 3,600 MW Myitsone Dam.WEB,weblink Irrawaddy Myitsone Dam, 2010-02-04, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120223135831weblink">weblink 23 February 2012, Asia World Company has a key position, amidst Burmese Suntac TechnologiesWEB,weblink Archived copy, 2009-09-17, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170522053751weblink">weblink 22 May 2017, and state-run Myanmar Electrical Power Enterprise, a state-owned utility enterprise responsible for power generation, transmission and distributionTin Maung Maung Than. (2005). Myanmar's Energy Sector: Banking on Natural Gas Myanmar's Energy Sector: Banking on Natural Gas In Chin Kin Wah & Daljit Singh (Eds.), Southeast Asian Affairs 2005 (pp. 257–289). Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.Chinese involvement comes from China Power Investment Corporation, China Southern Power Grid, Yunnan Machinery Equipment Import & Export CompanyWEB,weblink YMEC ® Yunnan machinery & equipment import & export co.,LTD., 2010-02-15,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20161229144728weblink">weblink 29 December 2016, and Changjiang Institute of Surveying, Planning, Design and Research.WEB,weblink Archived copy, 2010-02-15,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20161229144559weblink">weblink 29 December 2016, At least one Japanese company is involved, Kansai Electric Power Company. Damming the Irrawaddy {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144636weblink |date=29 December 2016 }} (2008) Chiang Mai (Kachin Environment Organization, Kachin Development Networking Group {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227033119weblink |date=27 February 2012 }}. Retrieved 17 September 2009

Controversy

Due to its location and size, construction of the Myitsone Dam has raised significant ecological and sociological concerns. According to the Irrawaddy Myitsone Dam Multipurpose Water Utilizing Project study, the maximum water level of the reservoir will be 290 metres. This makes for a flood zone of 766 km2, compromising 47 villages. Damming the Irrawaddy {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229144636weblink |date=29 December 2016 }} p. 39 (2008) Chiang Mai (Kachin Environment Organization, Kachin Development Networking Group {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227033119weblink |date=27 February 2012 }}. Retrieved 22 September 2009Other consequences of the inundation include loss of farmland, loss of spawning habitat as fish can not swim upstream anymore. The Kachin Development Networking Group,WEB,weblink Aksyu.com, 2009-09-17, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120227033119weblink">weblink 27 February 2012, a network of civil society groups and development organisations in Kachin State warn this will lead to a loss of income for fishermen. They report locals are also worried about the flooding of cultural sites in the flood zone. As with other large dam projects, the Myitsone Dam construction will alter the hydrological characteristics of the river, e.g. preventing sediment from enriching riverbanks downstream, where it usually enriches the riverside food-producing plains.William L. Graf (1999) Dam nation: A geographic census of American dams and their large-scale hydrologic impacts {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501111646weblink |date=1 May 2011 }}, Water Resrouces Research, Vol. 35(4) pp. 1305–1311 This can affect fertility as far downstream as the Irrawaddy Delta, the major rice-producing area of Myanmar.Ecological concerns focus on the inundation of an area that is the border of the Indo-Burma and South Central China biodiversity hotspots. The Mali and N'mai River confluence region falls within the Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin rainforests, added to the WWF list of outstanding examples of biodiverse regions.{{WWF ecoregion|id=im0131|name=Mizoram-Manipur-Kachin rain forests|access-date=22 September 2009}}The location of the Myitsone Dam, located less than 100 km from a fault line where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet, raised concerns about its earthquake resistance. Earthquakes in the region, such as the 5.3 magnitude earthquake that struck near the Myanmar-China border on 20 August 2008,Earth Quake Hits China-Burma Border {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426172346weblink |date=26 April 2012 }}, article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 20 August 2008. Retrieved online 24 September 2009 prompted Naw Lar, the coordinator of the KDNG dam research project, to ask the junta to reconsider its dam projects.Earthquake Raises Concern over Mega Dams {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727232722weblink |date=27 July 2011 }}, 20 August 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2009.

Major cities and towns

(File:Sagaing, Myanmar.jpg|thumb|Irrawaddy River from Sagaing Hill, Sagaing)The river flows through or past the following cities:{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Myitkyina
• Bhamo
• Katha
• Tagaung
• Kyaukmyaung
• Mandalay
• Sagaing
• Yenangyaung
• Chauk
• Bagan
• Nyaung-U
• Pyay
• Hinthada
• Pantanaw

{{div col end}}.

Bridges

File:Ava Bridge Over Ayeyarwady Sagaing Myanmar.jpg|thumb|The Ava Bridge near SagaingSagaingFile:IRRAWADDY RIVER APPROACHING MANDALAY MYANMA FEB2013.jpg|thumb|The Irrawaddy BridgeIrrawaddy BridgeUntil the construction of the Ava (Innwa) Bridge, a 16 span rail and road cantilever bridge built by the British colonial government in 1934, the only way across the Irrawaddy was by ferry. The bridge was destroyed by the retreating British Army during World War II and was rebuilt in 1954 after Burmese independence and was the only bridge to span the Irrawaddy until recent times when a spate of bridge construction has been carried out by the government.WEB,weblink "Big Push" for Sustained Development, Perspective, August 2000, 6 October 2008, {{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}WEB,weblink Roads and Bridges, Union Solidarity and Development Association, 7 April 2006, 6 October 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080623042938weblink">weblink 23 June 2008,

1. Bala Min Htin Bridge over the N'Mai Hka at Myitkyina, November 1998
2. Ayeyarwady Bridge (Yadanabon) (Yadanar Pone Bridge/New Ava Bridge) at Mandalay, April 2008
3. Pakokku Bridge between Pakokku and Naung-U, December 2011WEB,weblink myanmargeneva.org, 17 January 2017,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20161229144728weblink">weblink 29 December 2016,
4. Anawrahta Bridge at Chauk, March 2001NEWS,weblink Sr General Than Shwe attends opening of Anawrahta Bridge linking Chauk and Seikphyu on Ayeyawady River, The New Light of Myanmar, 5 April 2001, 6 October 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110427230919weblink">weblink 27 April 2011,
5. Minbu Bridge at MagwayWEB,weblink Minbu Bridge (Magway Region) – Structurae, structurae.net, 17 January 2017,
6. Nawaday Bridge at Pyay, September 1997
7. Ayeyarwady-Nyaungdon Bridge at Nyaungdon, November 2011{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}
8. Bo Myat Tun Bridge at Nyaungdon, November 1999
9. Maubin Bridge at Maubin, February 1998
10. Ayeyarwady-Dedaye Bridge at Dedaye, March 2003WEB,weblink The Nation's Longest Bridge Inaugurated, Perspective, November 1999, 6 October 2008, {{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Gallery

File:Nyaung-U, Bagan, Myanmar, The shores of Irrawaddy River.jpg|The shores of Irrawaddy River near Nyaung-U, BaganFile:Irrawaddy Mandalay-Hill.JPG|River Irrawaddy with Mandalay Hill on the east bankFile:Irrawaddy boat.JPG|Travelling on the great riverFile:Rivercraft Irrawaddy.JPG|Traditional rivercraft on the IrrawaddyFile:Irrawaddy log-buffalo.JPG|Buffalo pulling logs from the Irrawaddy at MandalayFile:Irrawaddy@Mingun.JPG|The great river at MingunFile:Irrawaddy Island-Village.JPG|An island village on the Irrawaddy stays above water on stilts during the monsoonsFile:Irrawaddy bamboo-rafts.JPG|Bamboo rafts by the IrrawaddyFile:Irrawaddy west-bank.JPG|Market on the west bank at MingunFile:Irrawaddy raft.JPG|Bamboo raft sailing down the IrrawaddyFile:Westbank Irrawaddy.JPG|Woman sailing in small boat along the west bank at MingunFile:Irrawaddy river near bu paya.JPG|Irrawaddy river near Bu PayaFile:The Ayeyarwady (Irrawady) river and Sagaing Township from the Yadanabon Bridge.jpg|The Irrawaddy as seen from the Yadanabon Bridge looking towards Sagaing

See also

• Irrawaddy Flotilla Company
• Ravi River

Notes

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist|30em}}

External links

• Rivers Network – Irrawaddy river blog and watershed webmap
• On Thinner Ice 如履薄冰: signs of trouble from the Water Tower of Asia, where headwaters feed into all the great rivers of Asia (by GRIP, Asia Society and MediaStorm)
• weblink" title="archive.today/20070823123915weblink">NASA Earth Observatory
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081107163734weblink">Earth from Space NASA image

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