The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $2.5 billion loan for the Brahmaputra River Restoration Project to protect and rejuvenate the Brahmaputra river basin in Assam. The multilateral development bank will collaborate with the Assam government in this comprehensive river rejuvenation program aimed at strengthening flood resilience, improving river health and boosting livelihoods across the state.
Overview of Brahmaputra River
Originating from the Angsi Glacier in Tibet, the Brahmaputra is one of Asia’s largest river systems flowing through China, India and Bangladesh. It enters India in Arunachal Pradesh, winds through Assam in a valley before joining the Ganga in Bangladesh.
- Length: 2,900 km total length, 916 km in India
- Basin area: 580,000 sq km across 3 countries
- Major tributaries: Siang, Dibang, Lohit, Manas
Key Challenges
While the Brahmaputra river system provides water resources, hydro power, irrigation, fishing opportunities and transportation routes, it also poses recurring challenges like devastating floods, riverbank erosion and degraded habitats.
- Annual floods impact lives of 10 million people in Assam
- Over 5,000 sq km land lost since 1950s due to erosion
- Reduced inland waterways connectivity
- Depleting fish stock and biodiversity loss
- Pollution from industrial effluents and encroachment
ADB Programme Objectives
The ADB programme will address these challenges through comprehensive water resource management focused on strengthening resilience, restoring habitats and building climate-adaptive infrastructure across Assam.
- Flood protection through structural and non-structural measures
- Riverbank stabilization using bio-engineering and civil work
- Restoration of inland water transport routes
- Conservation of river biodiversity habitats
Flood Protection Measures
- Structural measures:
- Upgrade and enhancement of reservoirs, embankments, drainage channels
- Rehabilitation of core flood management infrastructure
- Construction of overflow spillways to manage excess water
- Restoration of natural streams and diversion channels
- Non-structural measures:
- Modernization of flood forecasting systems – radar, rainfall sensors
- Implementation of advanced hydrological modeling
- Improvement of reservoir and dam operational plans
- Community-based flood preparedness and awareness
Riverbank Stabilization
- Bio-engineering measures:
- Plantations of local vegetation on banks and slopes
- Creation of porous check dams and bamboo structure fences
- Promotion of agroforestry models with deep-rooted plants
- Civil work:
- Stone embankment reinforcements
- Porcupine gabion mesh walls and concrete lining
- Slope terracing and erosion control nets
Water Transport Route Restoration
- Identification and dredging of navigation routes
- Channel marking with bank signals
- Construction of river ports and ferry ghats
- Navigation safety and vessel support systems
River Biodiversity Conservation
- Demarcation and restoration of degraded habitats
- Afforestation of wetlands and grasslands
- Conservation of rare fish species
- Pollution abatement and waste management
- Support for alternative livelihoods of fisherfolk
The programme integrates ecological, social and technical interventions for evidence-based river basin management under changing climatic conditions.
Key Components
With a total investment of $3.3 billion over 15 years, the project encompasses multifaceted interventions across hydrology, environment, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Structural flood mitigation infrastructure
- Upgrade and build reservoirs, embankments and drainage channels
- Restore connectivity and navigation channels
- Construct road connectivity project across south Assam
Non-structural flood risk management
- Modernize flood forecasting and early warning systems
- Improve reservoir operations
- Establish integrated flood and riverbank erosion monitoring
- Develop flood risk awareness programs
River Health Improvement
- Wetland and biodiversity conservation
- Pollution abatement and enforcement
- Solid waste management infrastructure
- Sanitation facilities in erosion-prone areas
Livelihood Improvement
- Climate-resilient agriculture assistance
- Skill development and access to credit
- Infrastructure for inland fisheries
Expected Outcomes
The programme aims to deliver the following outcomes that will substantially reduce climate change vulnerability across Assam:
- Reduce annual flooding from 15-20% of the state to less than 5%
- Decrease riverbank erosion rate from 2,400 hectares per year currently to less than 1,200 hectares per year
- Restore over 1 million hectares of degraded river habitats and wetlands
- Provide pollution abatement infrastructure for over 100 towns along rivers
- Enhance climate resilience for over 5 million residents of flood-prone areas
- Increase agricultural productivity and household incomes by over 20% in project districts.
