River and Wetland Restoration for Flood Control in Bogotá, Colombia

The Bogotá River basin covers more than 6,000 square kilometres, flowing through 46 municipalities in Cundinamarca and the city of Bogotá. It is vital for drinking water, agriculture, livestock farming, and electricity generation. Yet decades of untreated wastewater, rapid urban growth, and wetland degradation left the river heavily polluted, threatening biodiversity and human health. By 2010, only 27.5% of Colombia’s wastewater was treated, and the middle basin faced rising flood risks due to environmental decline and urban sprawl.  

Backed by financing from the World Bank and the Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca (CAR), the Bogotá River Environmental Recuperation and Flood Control Project delivered a set of interventions in the middle basin, including: 

• Upgrading the Salitre wastewater treatment plant to expand capacity and improve water quality. 

• Relocating dikes to give the river more space and reduce flood risks. 

• Restoring wetlands and creating 165 hectares of multifunctional areas that combine ecological restoration with recreational spaces. 

The NBI Global Resource Centre conducted a SAVi assessment to examine the long-term performance of these investments over a 50-year period at the basin scale.

Results show that hybrid infrastructure delivers strong economic returns when the full range of benefits is considered. The project generates USD 1.27 in benefits for every USD 1 invested, with total net benefits of USD 349 million. Avoided flood damage represents a major share of this value, with an estimated USD 828 million in avoided losses to homes and businesses.

In addition to financial returns, the project strengthened climate resilience and improved environmental quality and living conditions for millions of people. The findings highlight the role of hybrid infrastructure as a cost-effective strategy for river basin management, delivering integrated economic, social, and environmental benefits.