Expertise: Morphologist / River Engineer
Expertise Group: Engineering
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords: flood and riverbank erosion, flood risk management, bangladesh
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
The objective of the consultancy assignment is to provide support for:
(i) the ongoing implementation of the L4352-IND: Climate Resilient Brahmaputra Integrated Flood and
Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Project in Assam, India (CRBIFRERMP), and
(ii) the preparation of the proposed Additional Financing project to CRBIFRERMP, which will upscale the
ongoing project, and its start-up implementation.
Project Background. ADB approved a loan of $200 million on 2 October 2023 for the ongoing CRBIFRERMP.
Building on the success of the ADB-financed Assam Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management
Investment Program (AIFRERMIP)(2010-2020), the project focuses on the main stem of the Brahmaputra River
in Assam and applies a holistic, integrated, and risk-informed approach to strengthen flood and
riverbank erosion risk management and its long-term planning in Assam. It combines structural and
nonstructural measures in several high-priority flood- and erosion prone areas to contribute to the
broader stabilization of the river.
The impact of the project is to make Assam a disaster resilient state. Its outcome is climate-resilient
flood and riverbank erosion mitigation systems in the Brahmaputra River enhanced and women’s resilience
to disasters induced by floods and riverbank erosion strengthened. The project has the following three
outputs: (i) Output 1: Climate resilient flood and riverbank erosion risk mitigation measures in
subproject areas implemented and maintained; (ii) Output 2: Knowledge-based flood and riverbank erosion
risk management planning strengthened; and (iii) Output 3: Vulnerable people’s livelihoods and
resilience improved. The set of disclosed documents can be found on the ADB’s website at https://www.adb.
org/projects/56283-001/main.
In addition to aiming at increasing cost-effectiveness and sustainability through innovative
technologies in structural measures (such as using sand-filled geotextile bags as revetment materials,
flow-retarding screens to induce silt deposition along eroding riverbanks, climate-resilient flood
embankments, etc.), and in nonstructural measures (such as asset management, risk mapping, forecasting
and warning, erosion-prediction and breach modelling, surveys, disaster risk awareness and preparedness,
livelihoods activities, etc.), the project includes aspects supporting navigation (at more stable ferry
ghat locations) and the reclamation of lost floodplain from the river, especially near peri-urban or
urban areas. The project expands further principles developed under AIFRERMIP, and similar ADB-financed
projects in Bangladesh and coordinates closely with the World Bank-financed Assam Integrated River Basin
Management Program (AIRBMP) which focuses on selected tributaries in the Brahmaputra river basin in
Assam.
Phased approach to the overall investment. The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) of India posed in
January 2022 the Brahmaputra Flood and Erosion Risk Management Project covering the full reach of the
main stem of the Brahmaputra River in Assam of the Government of Assam to ADB for financial assistance
of $400 million. Subsequently, at the state’s request, a phased approach has been adopted, under which
the ongoing project will be supplemented by an additional financing project (ADB loan: $200 million).
The additional financing project is anticipated to be processed in the second part of 2025 for the works
soon after the onset of the 2025-26 dry season.
The executing agency of the ongoing and additional financing projects is the Flood and River Erosion
Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA) led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), under which a project
management unit has been established to lead, manage, and coordinate the activities. The ongoing project
has two implementing agencies: (i) Water Resources Department (WRD) has established eight project
implementation units (PIUs) in the subproject areas to implement all works under Output 1 via their
existing field offices (including four PIUs for implementation of additional high priority works) and
(ii) Assam Agroforestry Development Board (AADB), led by its CEO, has also established a PIU and is
responsible for implementing the nature-based solutions.
The purpose of this intermittent assignment includes providing technical advice on the morphological
aspects, formulation, scope and design, lessons, design monitoring framework (DMF), climate change
aspects, cost estimates, and advanced actions of the additional financing project, as well as supporting
its start-up implementation.
Scope of Work
The consultant will contribute to supporting the morphological and other technical aspects of the
preparation of the Report and Recommendation of the President to the Board of Directors (RRP), its
Annexes and Supplementary Documents (SDs) for the additional financing project. The consultant will
support the ADB Project team in the preparation of the loan documents including all applicable Annexes
and SDs ensuring full compliance with the latest ADB’s templates and guidelines until its approval by
ADB Board.
The consultant will be part of a team of individual consultants engaged by ADB, and work as a team
member of the ADB Project team, but independently undertake the tasks. The consultant will report to ADB.
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
In close collaboration with other consultants engaged by ADB (ie: Water Resources / River Engineer,
River Specialist, Economist, Procurement Expert, and others) and the ADB Project team, the consultant
will perform and deliver, but not limited to, the following tasks and outputs:
(i) use existing models and/or GIS morphology analysis to confirm the proposed high priority
subprojects, including verifying that they have been selected accordingly to a risk-based approach
supported by a multi-criteria assessment, along the main stem of the Brahmaputra River for the
additional financing project in close collaboration with the Project Implementation Support Consultant
(PISC), WRD and FREMAA;
(ii) use previous reports and surveys, existing satellite imagery, GIS, modelling, or other tools to
provide values to the indicators of the overall DMF (ie: ongoing project + additional financing project);
(iii) provide technical inputs to draft loan processing documents as requested by the ADB Mission Leader;
(iv) address river morphology and engineering, climate change and DMF-related comments (if any) during
the ADB review process as requested by the ADB Mission Leader;
(v) support the start-up activities of the additional financing project after its approval by ADB,
including supporting the ADB loan inception mission (tentatively scheduled in March 2026); and
(vi) perform other tasks as may be requested by the ADB Mission Leader from time to time.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
(i) Master’s degree in civil engineering or water resources engineering from a recognized institution.
(ii) Minimum 7 years of relevant professional experience with 5 years in developing countries in South
Asia, including India and particularly in Assam.
(iii) Minimum specific experience of 3 years on ADB- or World Bank- financed large infrastructure
projects, including flood and riverbank erosion risk management and climate change adaptation and river
engineering/modelling aspects in large river basins. Experience n the Brahmaputra river basin is highly
desirable.
Minimum General Experience: 5 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 3 Years
