Short-term, long-term plans to prevent flooding in World Heritage-listed Bagan

Myanmar

Short-term and long-term plans have been drawn up and are being implemented to prevent floods in the World Heritage-listed city of Bagan, according to U Kyaw Myo Win, director of the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Bagan Branch).

The plans include the most important emergency response action plan in the event of a natural disaster occurring in Bagan and pilot research projects in the short-term period to restore the natural environment and original ecosystem related to the Bagan-era water management system, he said.

Long-term plans cover annual restoration activities by the Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department to maintain a sustainable water influx from Tuyin Taung and Thetsoe Taung into emerald lake, and yearly dredging works in the Bagan-era reservoirs and canals such as Alan Pagan and Alekan, which can restore the water management system from Tuyin Taung to the Bagan Palace and the moat, he said.

The Bagan Divison will continue the research on ancient water management system in this fiscal year, including the water flow system from emerald lake, Alan Pagan, Alekan at the foot of Tuyin Taung hill through Kan Thone Kan, Oat Phote Kan, Sal Kan, Kan Thit Gyi in Phyauk Seik Pin village, and through again Nyaung Lettaphetkan, Phoe Thudaw Kan, Manu Maywel Kan, to the moat of ancient Bagan, and the connecting system to drain the water from the moat into the palace, he said.

In addition, the high standard of water management in ancient Bagan will be revealed with research activities after comparing its water connection and collection from natural mountains and the use of Ayeyarwady river as the main product channel with other regional countries.

According to the latest findings, with a follow-up excavation by the research department of Bagan Division after the finding of some broken pieces of bricks on the western bank of Nyaung Lettaphetkan or Nyun Lettaphetkan, terra cotta pipes were found to be used to filter the lake water and drain it into the outside, which shows the high standard of the water management system in Bagan era, U Kyaw Myo Win said.
MT/ZN