The River System

8/14/2019 The River System

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Enough water of good quality for drinking and household is essential

for living, but the sources of clean water become scarce due to

uncontrolled development. Careful management of our rivers is

important to ensure clean water for the current generation as well as

for future generations to come.

The River System

TEXT BY REACH MAY 2009

PLEASESUPPORT REACH

The water systemThere may be a lot of wateron earth, but freshwater isactually very scarce. 97% ofthe water on earth is salt orotherwise undrinkable and

almost 3% is locked away inice caps and glaciers or deepunderground. It is estimatedthat only 0.003% is actuallyavailable for use by humans.Mountain areas are the mainsources for fresh water thatprovides us with a clean andsteady supply of water. Theyare important water cat-

chment areas, providing waterfor the domestic, agriculturaland industrial demands of themore densely populated low-

lands. The mountains inter-cept the circulation of air andforce it upwards where it coolsand water vapor condensesinto clouds. Rain then forms.Forests receives the rain before

it seeps into the soil. Some ofthe water is stored in the soiland vegetation, while the restdrains down through the soilto streams and rivers.

Less than 5% of PeninsularMalaysia is more than 900metres above sea level. Alt-hough very small in area,these mountains are the head-waters of valuable waterresources. Malaysia has abun-dant rainfall, more then

President of REACH:

Mr. Ramakrishnan Ramasamy AMN

Email: president@ reach.org.my

Contact us at:

REACH Office

No. 1 Jalan Besar

Brinchang, Caneron Highlands


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2000mm annually, one of thehighest in the world. However,the actual amount of wateravailable for use is reducedbecause of seasonal droughts,water pollution, wastage andpoor management of waterresources. Of the 117 rivers inMalaysia, the Department ofEnvironment reported in 1997,

that only 24 rivers wereclassified as 'clean'. 59 were'slightly polluted' and 13 'verypolluted' in Malaysia. It is likelythat now in 2008, more than 10

years later this figure hasworsened due to intensivedevelopment in the mean time.

Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands isdrained by eight rivers with Sg.Bertam, Sg.Telom, and Sg.Lemoi, being the most im-portant ones. These rivers arefed by the very constant sourceof clean water from montaneforests, even in dryer periods.The 3 rivers have a total of over123 tributaries and play a vitalrole in the fresh water supply,

agricultural activities (irrigation)and as source for hydroelectricgeneration in the CameronHighlands. The CameronHighlands form the headwatercatchment for 2 major rivers ofthe lowlands; Sg. Pahang andSg. Perak. An estimated amountof 5.8 million liters a day isabstracted for drinking watersupply at several intake pointsalong rivers coming from themontane forests of the Ca-meron Highlands. These virgin

mountain forest streams in theCameron Highlands have anoutstanding water quality.

Water catchments A water catchment is the landarea in the upper reaches of theriver system (in the highlandsand mainly forested) whichfeeds into a river. The highlands

and specifically the montaneecosystem forms some of themost important water catch-ment areas in Peninsular Malay-sia. The montane forests arewater producers. The supplyof this precious and perhapsmost endangered and limitednatural resource, both in termsof quantity and quality is

dependent on forested watercatchment areas in the high-lands.

River ecologyA healthy river is home to manyspecies of wildlife. Vegetationgrows along its banks, shadingthe stream, slowing its flow inrainstorms and filter pollutantsbefore they enter the river.

Within the river itself fish,insects and other animals areliving.

River pollution Water pollution is normallydivided into point- and non-point sources, according to itssource. Point source pollutioncomes from a clear point such

as a pipe, which dischargesdirectly into the river. Examplesare wastewater treatment plantsand urban discharge.

Clean water on earth is very scarce. The limited

fresh water in rivers in Malaysia is often polluted.

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These sources pollute the waterwith pathogens such as bacteria(E. coli), and organic en-richment that leads to low levelsof dissolved oxygen in the river.Non-point sources of pollutioncomes from surface waterrunoff. It originates from abroad area. Examples areagricultural runoff and con-

struction site runoff. Both aresources of sediments and siltfrom eroded land. Agriculturalland is also a source of nutrientssuch as the Nitrogen andPhosphorus found in fertilizersand pesticides.Main sources of pollution to therivers in the Cameron High-lands are:

Agricultural activities; with sediments,

nutrients, pesticides, herbicides,

pathogens and organic pollutants;

Municipal dischargers (sewage

treatment plants); with nutrients,

pathogens, organic enrichment, and

toxicants;

Runoff from construction sites; with

sediments.

Water pollution in theCameron HighlandsThe most vulnerable part of thewater catchment in the Cam-eron Highlands lies in urba-nized area, with pollutionsources (agricultural & urban)located at the far upstream partof the catchment. The waterquality of the rivers CameronHighlands has deteriorated inmany places, because of siltation from land clearing fordevelopment, road constructionand agricultural activities. A

very important source of waterpollution is the sewage that ispoured into the rivers.The Cameron Highlands arecharacterized by undisturbed

nature on the one hand and onthe other intensive agriculture.

Unfortunately not much at-tention is driven to the backdraw of unsustainable, intensiveagriculture and massive urbandevelopment; pesticides, fer-tilizers and sewage (not treatedthoroughly or at places not atall) entering the river system,

causing severe water pollution.The already scarce drinkingwater supply is therefore pol-luted and hardly availablethrough lack of management,(illegal) tapping and soil erosion.

The clean rivers of the mountains are a valuable

sources of drinking water, they become scarce

however.


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Causes for the problemsForest cover is essential for awater catchment, despite thishowever the Bertam catchmentis for 30% of the land coverused by agriculture and urbanarea. In preventing erosion andrunoff in agriculture the slopegradient of the land must beless then 25 and of a capable

soil type. At this moment almost45% of the agricultural land inthe Cameron Highlands takesplace on land with a higherslope degree. With obvious con-sequences for siltation in rivers.

Summarizing; the main causesfor water pollution in theCameron Highlands are:

Increasing water pollution by

continuing development of agricultural

area with excessive pesticide and

fertilizer use and by expansion of

urban area with poorly treated or

untreated sewage poured in the river;

Lack of enforcement by responsible

government agencies, resulting in

water pollution and illegal tapping;

Siltation and erosion from land

clearing, agriculture and construction;

Illegal water tapping. 20% of water

is left for public supply. 80% of the

total water supply is being tapped by

farmers and is utilized for agricultural

activities. Most of the water used in

agriculture is (illegally) tapped from

small mountain streams in the forest

containing the best quality water ofthe Highlands.

REACHRegional Environmental Awar-eness Cameron Highlands wasformed by several residents ofthe Cameron Highlands whowere concerned about envir-onmental problems in theCameron Highlands. REACHaims "to conserve CameronHighlands as an area of natural

resources and as a naturalheritage, a highland resortsurrounded by permanent forestreserve and sustainable agri-culture with quality drinkingwater".REACH tries to increase theawareness of the importance ofgood river water quality in theCameron Highlands. Theircommunity based approach toriver quality monitoring is aflaghip-programme, and a firstin Malaysia.

Uncontrolled agricultural and urban development

is the largest threat to water resources in the

Cameron Highlands.

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The River System