This publication provides a successful example of a local initiative on participatory water management and adaptation to climate change in Bangladesh. Numerous organizations are developing and implementing measures to reduce vulnerabilities to climate change. However, policy processes related to water management and climate change largely ignore the practical knowledge of local communities, despite the fact that their experiences and initiatives can contribute significantly to implementing more sustainable policies. This paper documents the experiences of the Uttaran and Paani Committee with tidal river management, with the help of local stakeholders.