New contract to build water information network in Bangladesh

A consulting firm has been awarded a contract by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to design an Environmental Monitoring Information Network to manage water resources in Bangladesh.

July 5, 2001

2 min read

RICHMOND, BC, July 4, 2001 — MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. has been awarded a Design Study contract by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to design an Environmental Monitoring Information Network to manage water resources in Bangladesh.

The Minister for International Cooperation, Hon. Maria Minna, made the announcement at MDA in Richmond this morning.

The Information Network would be used at both local and national levels to help village councils predict environmental incidents of flood or drought, and allow Bangladeshi authorities to address multiple water use issues.

With a large population and geography dominated by lowland floodplains and huge rivers, water management is the key to life in Bangladesh. MDA hopes to develop an innovative information network that will connect various stakeholders in the country's water sector and allow them to better manage the resource.

The heart of the MDA Environmental Monitoring Information Network would be a web-based network that uses (and combines) water information from several sources, including earth-observation satellites, river gauges, and weather sensors.

The $1 million Design Study contract was secured by MDA's Information Products Group. The project's second phase, involving a multi-million dollar implementation of the Network, is scheduled for next year.

Today's contract award was announced during a visit to MDA headquarters in Richmond, B.C. by Minister Minna. The Minister also announced a similar project for MDA, valued at $600,000, involving the development of a national Agricultural Information Network in Thailand.