Coastal Embankments

ENTRY DATE: 23.04.2015 | LAST UPDATE: 23.04.2015

CATEGORIES:

  • Coastal Regions
  • Construction of infrastructure

TECHNOLOGIES MATURITY:

Applicable immediately

Technology Owners:

  • Government
  • Private companies
  • Multi-lateral agencies and donors:
  • e.g. Bangladesh Coastal Embankment Rehabilitation project was funded by the World Bank-IDA, the EC and the Government of Bangladesh
  • e.g. the recent embankment upgrades in Bangladesh are being implemented and funded by the World Bank 

Needs Address

Measures against erosion, storm surges, flooding, inundation

Adaptation effects

  • Reduced flood congestion, waterlogging and offers protection from storm surges
  • Improved living conditions for coastal communities
  • Reduced mortality as a result of extreme events

Overview and Features

Hard structures for protecting land from coastal flooding, particularly during high tide and storm surges.

Cost

  • Materials
  • Labour
  • Construction equipment
  • The Bangladesh Coastal Embankment Rehabilitation project cost 80 million USD for an area of 85000 hectare (Agrawala, et.al. 2003).

Energy source

Fuel etc. for construction equipment 

Ease of maintenance

  • Continuous and comprehensive maintenance of embankment and drainage infrastructure is crucial
  • Increased wave action in the future will enhance erosion processes, therefore requiring increasing maintenance of structures

Technology performance

  • There is concern that embankment systems constrict estuaries and worsen floods
  • The current embankment upgrading in Bangladesh is expected to provide direct protection to around 760,000 people living within the 100,817 hectares of the project area (Agrawala et al., 2003)

Considerations

Must consider future sea level rise and increased wave heights in the design of embankments

Co-benefit, suitability for developing countries

  • Increases employment opportunities
  • Community management of drainage systems can ensure regular maintenance and long term sustainability of the embankment.
  • Multi-stakeholder co-operation with government, communities and other stakeholders operating in the area, such as non-governmental organisations
  • Earthen embankments can be built using locally available soil to reduce costs 

Information Resources

Agrawala, S., Ota, T., Ahmed, A.U., Smith, J. and van Aaist, M. 2003. Development and Climate Change in Bangladesh: Focus on Coastal Flooding and the Sundarbans. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/env/cc/21055658.pdf [04 December 2014]

Haq, N. 2014. Bangladeshi experts defend coastal dikes. SciDevNet. Available at: http://www.scidev.net/south-asia/environment/news/bangladeshi-experts-defend-coastal-dikes.html