Ministry of Agriculture and Environment emblemLao WaterMinistry of Agriculture
and Environment

LAO PDR · COMMUNITY DIGITAL TWIN

3D Community
Flood Map

Explore village digital twins.
Map flood knowledge together.

SIX VILLAGES · FROM ABOVE

Select a village to explore ↙Swipe to explore →

LAO WATER / COMMUNITY DIGITAL TWIN

THE LANDSCAPE. THE PEOPLE. THE EVIDENCE.

Real terrain.
Local knowledge.

Lao Water brings drone survey and GIS data together with community flood knowledge, creating a shared 3D reference for local flood-risk planning.

Built from measured data

The project's survey foundation includes actual drone LiDAR, georeferenced point clouds, elevation models and orthophotography.

LiDAR & point clouds
Measured X, Y and Z coordinates describe the three-dimensional geometry of the ground and features above it.
DTM, DEM & DSM
The Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and bare-earth Digital Elevation Model (DEM) describe ground elevation. The Digital Surface Model (DSM) includes rooftops, trees and other above-ground features.
Orthophotos & bathymetry
Georeferenced orthophotos provide the aerial image reference. Bathymetric cross-sections measure riverbed profiles, extending terrain information below the water surface where these data are available.

Informed by the community

Map markers are added through community engagement and joint flood-risk planning. Residents and local teams identify flood entry points, past impacts, exposed places, safe locations and priorities for action.

This participatory knowledge sits alongside the measured GIS layers, helping communities discuss risk, compare local experience and plan together.

A marker records community knowledge or a planning decision; it is not an automatic flood prediction.

GIS methods & data provenance

Spatial reference. The inspected survey layers use WGS 84 / UTM zone 48N (EPSG:32648), in metres. Survey geometry, elevation rasters and orthophotos are the basis for the browser's optimised 3D scene and aerial village previews.

Terrain and riverbed integration. Topographic LiDAR alone does not establish submerged riverbed geometry. Bathymetric sections must be aligned with the terrain's horizontal and vertical references before being used together. Availability and integration are checked for each village; not every input is present in every published scene.

Elevation and visual detail. The project's vertical datum remains to be confirmed. Native terrain heights, display adjustments and reconstructed visual details are kept distinct. Detailed appearance is not a claim of engineering accuracy or a calibrated hydraulic model; analytical use requires the relevant survey metadata, resolution, accuracy checks and datum reconciliation.

Survey coverage. Nakham's interactive map is available. Survey packages for Khong Ngai, Tan Piao, Kengkok and Sakhun Tai are being prepared; Lahanam awaits its survey upload. The cinematic landing films are illustrative landscapes, separate from the surveyed village maps.

Terminology: USGS: LiDAR and DEMs ↗ · USGS: elevation glossary ↗

Working together for flood resilience

The project is supported by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and The Rockefeller Foundation.

Ministry
Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Lao PDR
Ministry of Agriculture
and Environment
Supported by
Mekong River Commission
Mekong River Commission Supported by
The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation