Environmental Considerations for Water Resources Development in Haor Areas of Northeastern Bangladesh

by G. M. Akram Hossain,
Ainun Nishat,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: North American Water and Environment Congress & Destructive Water

Abstract:

A haor is a bowl shaped depression which are flooded every year during monsoon. It remains under water for seven months of the year. This paper gives an outline of the environmental considerations for the development of water resources in haor areas located in the northeastern part of Bangladesh. The area is subdivided into three major parts which are similar in morphology and hydrology: the piedmont area (area around the hill foot), the flood plain and the deeply flooded area. The hydrology, morphology, fishery, agronomy, and socio economy for these areas have been discussed; and the impact of flood control projects on the environment is investigated. The main crop grown in the haor area is boro or dry season rice. Damage to boro crops due to early monsoon flash floods just before the harvest is common. Protection against this early flash flood is essential. Water resources projects aim at either full flood dykes for the year round rice cultivation or submersible dykes for protection of boro rice. It has been established that submersible dykes with adequate number of water regulating structures coupled with the mitigation to fishery and navigation is the recommended mode of development.

Subject Headings: Water resources | Floods | Crops | Levees and dikes | Project management | Flood plains | Developing countries | Bangladesh | Asia

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