Water Management Infrastructure Bhola District (DWMIB)

Summary

The project is defined as the development, construction and implementation of a complete rehabilitation of the water management structure of the Island of Bhola.

Location

Bhola

Sector

Water

Applicant

Ministry of Water Resources

Competent Authority

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB)

Parties Involved

Project number

ORIO11/BD/21

Total project costs / Total ORIO Grant amount

48,700,000 Euro / 24,334,753 Euro

Status project

Development Phase

River bank erosion is a big problem for Bhola. The dikes around the polders provide protection against ‘normal’ high water levels, but the height and strength of the dikes is often not sufficient to withstand surges caused by cyclones. If current water management structures are not upgraded and reinforced, breaches caused by cyclonic surge and wave action are to be expected in the future making Bhola practicably inhabitable in the longer term.

The project aims to substantially increase safety and security for the Bhola community by improving the water management infrastructure. The project is defined as the development, construction and implementation of a complete rehabilitation of the water management structure of the Island of Bhola (with a surface area of ca. 332,500 ha and over 1.6 million inhabitants) in Southern Bangladesh.

The main elements or the project are: reinforcement of 200 km embankment dikes protecting Bhola, integration of a dike monitoring system, building 4 cross dams with lengths of ca. 1,000, 750, 1,500 and 1,250m and the training of local operators.

It is expected that at least 1 million inhabitants of Bhola will benefit from this project.