Period:December 2016 - May 2017
Clients:
The report “Roads for Polder Water Management and Flood Protection” examines how road infrastructure within coastal polders of Bangladesh can be better integrated with water management and flood protection systems. The study was conducted under the Blue Gold Innovation Fund by MetaMeta and BUET to explore how internal roads and embankment roads can support improved drainage, water control, and climate resilience in coastal areas.
The research focuses on Polder 26 and Polder 43-2F, where roads often disrupt natural drainage systems by blocking khals and restricting water flow, leading to waterlogging, flooding, and reduced agricultural productivity. However, the study highlights that with proper design, such as adequate culverts, gated crossings, and improved road construction, roads can instead become effective tools for regulating water distribution and enhancing flood protection.
The feasibility assessment was carried out over six months through field surveys, stakeholder consultations, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys. These methods were used to identify road-water interaction problems, evaluate their socio-economic impacts, and propose practical engineering and management solutions.
The study recommends several key interventions, including improving the number and size of water crossings, installing gated culverts for better water control, re-excavating khals to restore drainage connectivity, improving the quality and durability of embankment roads, and designing infrastructure that also functions as flood shelters. Implementing these improvements could significantly reduce waterlogging, enhance agricultural productivity, strengthen flood protection, and improve rural connectivity and livelihoods in polder communities. Overall, the report proposes a framework for systematically integrating road development with polder water management across coastal Bangladesh, including the development of guidelines and pilot interventions that can be scaled up in other polders.
