WaveDam: Dual-Purpose Flood Protection and Water Storage System
Bubanza Province in Burundi
Project Overview
Background & Goal
Burundi faced a complex water management challenge: severe flooding threatened communities and infrastructure, while water scarcity during dry periods hampered agricultural productivity. Traditional flood control methods couldn’t address this dual challenge of flood protection and water conservation, leaving communities vulnerable to both extremes.
To implement an innovative dual-purpose solution using WaveDam mobile flood barriers to protect vulnerable communities from flooding while simultaneously creating water storage capabilities for agricultural irrigation during dry periods.
Solution
WaveSave delivered an integrated water management solution centered around our innovative WaveDam mobile flood barriers. The system includes:
- WaveDam mobile flood barriers
- Enhanced emergency flood response
- Data-driven flood analytics
- Community training programs
- Increased irrigation water storage
Clients and Donors
United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN)
Location
Location: Bubanza Province in Burundi
Timeline: 2021 – 2022
Project impact
- Prevented flood damage to homes & lands
- Created water storage for irrigation
- Improved agricultural yields
- Enhanced community flood resilience
- Food protection & water storage model
- Successful adaptation to local conditions
Gallery
Key highlights
SLAMDAM is a mobile flood barrier designed to provide rapid and effective flood protection. Unlike traditional flood defenses, SLAMDAM can be deployed quickly.
Rapid deployment
Deployed 200 m of SLAMDAM in less than 2 hours to prevent glacier-melt flooding.
Community training
Local teams were trained in deploying and managing SLAMDAM and the early warning system.
Early warning system
Enhanced early flood warning with integrated monitoring and communication tools.
Resilience building
Reduced flood damage to homes and protected 250 hectares of farmland.
Early warning system
Enhanced early flood warning with integrated monitoring and communication tools.
Sustainable impact
Increased long-term flood resilience through community empowerment and scalable technology
Testimonials
What our clients say
The SLAMDAM project has successfully demonstrated how innovative flood barriers can protect vulnerable areas in Gilgit-Baltistan, offering a sustainable solution for flood management..
Dr. Muhammad Zia ur Rahman Hashmi
Head of Water Resources & Glaciology, Islamabad,
Pakistan
SLAMDAM has transformed our community’s resilience to floods. With the technology and training, we now feel empowered to protect our homes and livelihoods.
Naveed Alam
Community Leader Passu Community
The SLAMDAM project has successfully demonstrated how innovative flood barriers can protect vulnerable areas in Gilgit-Baltistan, offering a sustainable solution for flood management..
Dr. Muhammad Zia ur Rahman Hashmi
Head of Water Resources & Glaciology, Islamabad,
Pakistan
