The water level on the Irrawaddy River has been decreasing in recent years and looks set to drop farther, as several hydroelectric dams are being constructed... "Born and bred on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, Ko Soe says he knows the river like the back of his hand. As a child he swam, fished and played with friends in the Irrawaddy, and today he makes a living from steering boats to and from Mandalay and on the many tributaries that stream into Burma?s longest river. Now 36, he knows all the waterways, the currents and the shallows, as well as the best places for mooring and fishing on this stretch of the Irrawaddy. A passenger boat on the Irrawaddy River But lately, Ko Soe, has found navigating the river a tiresome task. ?I?ve seen very low water levels recently and the appearance of sandbanks and islets,” he said. ?Sometimes the water is as low as two feet, so many boats cannot pass through. Many vessels get stuck on sandbars.” He said that until five years ago, the water level never sank below three feet. Apart from the millions of livelihoods the river provides for in terms of fishing, trade and farming, the Irrawaddy has supported for centuries an abundant variety of flora and fauna, including the Irrawaddy dolphin, which was once a common sight in the estuaries of the Irrawaddy delta. Experts warn that the flow of the river is in serious danger due to the Burmese military government?s eagerness to promote logging, gold mining and hydroelectric dam projects..."