Mighty river systems of Bangladesh and their impact on severe floods in Banglades: River Systems Mighty River Systems of Bangladesh Impact of River Systems in Flood Flood in Bangladesh Bangladesh is a country of rivers. The environment and livelihood of 160 million people is largely dependent on rivers and its resources. There are around 230 rivers which occupy about 7 percent of the total land area of Bangladesh. The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin is a transboundary river basin with a total area of just over 1.7 million km2, distributed between India (64 percent), China (18 percent), Nepal (9 percent), Bangladesh (7 percent) and Bhutan (3 percent). The River Systems of Bangladesh: Major 3 river systems are: The Brahmaputra-Jamuna The Ganges-Padma and The Meghna [surma-kusiara] Total River number = 230 River comes from India = 54 River comes from Myanmar = 03

1. Group : 3
Mighty river systems of Bangladesh and their
impact on severe floods in Bangladesh
Presentation
on
1
Course No. : DM 5113
Disaster Management: Geological and Geo-morphological Perspectives

2. Presentation Outline
Background
River Systems
Mighty River Systems of Bangladesh
Impact of River Systems in Flood
Flood in Bangladesh
Conclusion
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3. Background
Bangladesh is a country of rivers. The environment and
livelihood of 160 million people is largely dependent on
rivers and its resources. There are around 230 rivers which
occupy about 7 percent of the total land area of
Bangladesh.
The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin is a
transboundary river basin with a total area of just over 1.7
million km2, distributed between India (64 percent), China
(18 percent), Nepal (9 percent), Bangladesh (7 percent) and
Bhutan (3 percent).
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4. The Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna Basins & river Systems
Ganges Basin
Brahamaputra Basin
Meghna Basin
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5. The River Systems
River: A volume of water which flows in a channel from high ground to
low ground and ultimately to a lake or the sea.
River System: A river, its sources, tributaries and distributaries form a
river system.
Youth Stage
Mature Stage
Old Stage
[Where the river flows into the oceans.]
[The point at which two rivers join]
[The upland area where the river initiate]
[A river which joins a larger river]
Distributaries
[A river that branches of main river]
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6. The River Systems of
Bangladesh
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Major 3 river systems are:
1. The Brahmaputra-Jamuna
2. The Ganges-Padma and
3. The Meghna [surma-kusiara]
Total River number = 230
River comes from India = 54
River comes from Myanmar = 03
2
3
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7. Origin and Fall:
Manas Sarovar lake of kailash peak of the
Himalay and fall in Bay of Bangal as padma.
Tributaries:
Tista , Atrai-Gur, Dharla, Dud kumar, Karatoya
Distributaries:
The Old Brahmaputra, The Dhaleshwari etc.
Length:
The total length of the river up to the Bay of
Bengal is about 2,897 km. Within Bangladesh
territory, Brahmaputra-Jamuna is 276 km long,
of which Brahmaputra is only 69 km.
Covered district:
Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra,
Sirajganj, Manikganj
The Brahmaputra-Jamuna
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8. Source and Fall:
The Gangotri glacier of the Himalaya and at last
fall in the Bay of Bengal as Meghna river.
Tributaries: The Padma, Mahananda
Distributaries:
Ichamati, Baral, Bhairab, Mathabhanga, Gorai,
Madhumati
Length:
Total length about 2,600 km and a catchment
area of approximately 907,000 sq km. Within
Bangladesh, Ganges is divided into two sections
- first, the Ganges, 258 km long, starting from
the western border with India to its confluence
with Jamuna at Goalandaghat. The second is
the Padma, 126 km long, running from
Goalandaghat confluence to Chandpur where it
joins the Meghna.
Covered district:
Chapai Nawabganj, Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna
Rajbari and Manikganj.
The Ganges-Padma
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9. Source and Fall:
Originates in the hills of Shillong and Meghalaya
of India and falls in Bay of Bengal as Meghna.
Tributaries: Lubha, Hari, Goyain Gang, PIYAIN,
Bogapani, Jadukata, Shomeshwari, Kangsa,
Mogra, Gopla, Khowai, Gumti, Dakatia etc.
Distributaries:
Titas, Pagli, Katalia, Dhanagoda, Matlab, Udhamdi
Length:
Total of 946 kilometres (588 mi) of which 669
kilometres (416 mi) are within Bangladesh, to
the Bay of Bengal.
Covered district:
Sylhet, Mowlavibazar, Hobigong, Sunamgong,
Mymenshing, Brahamanbaria, comilla, Chandpur,
Feni, Lokhipur, Noakhali.
The Meghna [surma-kusiara]
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10. Impact of River Systems
Flood Flood is the most significant
disasters associated with
river system.
More over water pollution
and eco-system disruption
are also alarming condition in
many rivers of Bangladesh
but the context and causal
background are different
than flood and river bank
erosion.
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Flood

11. Floods Hazard in Bangladesh
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12. Flood is an overflow of an
expanse of water that
submerges land.
Flood visits Bangladesh almost
every year. The major trans-
boundary rivers, drain about
92% of water of the catchments
area lying outside the country.
This along with the heavy
rainfall outside Bangladesh
makes vulnerable to floods in
the country.
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Floods Hazard in Bangladesh

13. History of Floods in Bangladesh
Bangladesh floods on a regular basis, catastrophic floods have occurred in 1987,
1988, 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2010.
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14. History of Floods in Bangladesh
1988
1998
2004
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15. Causes of Floods in Bangladesh
Physical Causes Human Causes
 Geographical Location
 Geological Structure
 Topography of Bangladesh
 Heavy Rainfall of the upstream
 Snow melts of Himalayas in the summer
 River siltation, lateral river construction.
 Tectonic Process: Earthquake
 Tropical cyclones over Bay of Bengal
 Subsiding and compaction of Sediment
 Green house effect
 Local relative sea level rise
 High Flow of rivers at the same time etc.
 Deforestation in many parts of river basin
 Construction of barrages.
 Productive work along the banks of the river.
 Mismanagement of Rivers
 Unplanned damming at rivers
 Soil erosion due to deforestation
 Water logging
 Snow melting
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16. Causes of Floods in Bangladesh
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17. Floods Effects in Bangladesh
Positive Effects Negative Effects
 Increasing soil fertility
 Remove various disease germ
 Effects on fish cultivation
 Clean the environment
 Recharge ground water table
 Drainage basin management
 Change biodiversity
 Effects on annual agriculture
production
 Damage settlement,
infrastructure, domestic animals
 Break the social, economic &
cultural status
 Human died & suffered by
various disease
 Drive unemployment
 Scarcity of drinking Water &
Food
 Impact on vegetation
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18. Conclusion
Ganges-Padma, Brahamaputra-Jamuna and Meghna river
systems are the most important hydrological system of
Bangladesh. The major natural impacts of this river
systems are flood and river bank erosion which highly
affecting the properties and life of people in Bangladesh.
The measures like periodical dredging and creating canals
can minimize the hazard at an acceptable level. However
structural measures alone are not adequate for flood
management in Major river systems.
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19. References
1. Ahmad, N. & Lodrick, D.O. Ganges river. (Available at:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/225359/Ganges_River/48078/Climate-
and-hydrology. Accessed on 17/02/2011).
2. Ahmed, M. Feroze. 2007. Integrated water resources management in Bangladesh. RSS
Workshop on IWRM, Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Dhaka.
3. Chowdhury, R. & Ward, N. 2004. Hydro-Meteorological variability in the greater
GangesBrahmaputra-Meghna basins. (Available at:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ joc.1076/pdf. Accessed on 15/02/2011).
4. Fazal, M.A. 1990. Development of water resources of the Brahmaputra basin. (Available
at: http:// www.angelfire.com/ok/mafazal/BrahmaputraBasin.html. Accessed on:
16/02/2011).
5. FAO 2011. Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basin. (Available at:
http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/basins/gbm/index.stm)
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