331 - River Stabilization Planning in Bangladesh

The large rivers of Bangladesh (the Ganges and Brahmaputra/Jamuna, which combine to form the Padma) provide valuable water resources to the country and enable productive crop yields. However, they also cause recurring, unconstrained flooding and land loss because of riverbank erosion. Due to the country’s high population density (1,300 people/km2), flooding and erosion along the main rivers have detrimental repercussions on the entire country’s overall economy and poverty rates. To address these issues the Bangladesh Government has developed a number of river stabilization plans. Initial plans were developed in the early 1990s at a time when there was still insufficient understanding of the complex morphology of the large rivers. A second set of plans were developed between 2018-2020. While these latest plans are based on a much richer knowledge base, they still vary significantly from one another in terms of approach and goals. One of these plans is the River Stabilization Plan, which is in line with the Bangladesh Delta Plan, 2100. It is a flexible plan that accounts for the highly variable river morphology by implementing Adaptive Delta Management principles. As the main rivers in Bangladesh are extremely dynamic, flexibility in any river stabilization plan is crucial. This latest plan intends to not only manage flooding and reduce erosion, but also maintain adequate room for the river considering required conveyance capacity, preserve ecological needs, strategically develop newly accreted lands, improve navigation and provide fresh water through an enhanced interior river network. This plan is intended to be updated regularly, adapting a learning-by-doing approach in order to bring safety and stability to the people of Bangladesh.