2.3 Dealing with water in the Netherlands

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

2.3 Dealing with water in the Netherlands

www.overstroomik.nl

Aims

After studying this section, you will be able to:

• Describe how river discharges are likely to change in the future;
  
• Explain how the Netherlands deals with high and low river discharges.
  

Living near the water

Historically cities were built near waterways: 

• Easy to transport goods and people;
  
• Water for crop farming;
  
• Opportunity to fish;
  
• High risk of flooding.

Living near the water

Solutions against flooding: 

• Building dwelling mounds (terps);
• Constructing dykes.

Regional government was needed to control the water level;

Water authorities were formed to maintain dykes at a local level.

Urbanization

Growth of cities; rivers had to be tamed:

• Channelizing rivers;
• Constructing higher dykes.

In 1995 it almost went wrong...

• Evacuation of people;
• Outer-dyke areas flooded.

Measures

1. Delta plan (flood of 1953)
   
2. Room for the river
3. Delta programme 2015

Delta works

• Flood of 31 January 1953;
  
• 1836 people died;
  
• Lots of damage;
  
• 9 February 1953 a plan was presented to protect the Southwest of the Netherlands;
  
• Core: Connect all islands;
  
• New Waterway & Westerschelde stayed open (trade).
  

Room for the river

Cross-section of a major Dutch river

De-poldering = Giving back land to the river. 

(only when needed)

Delta programme 2015

• Adaptation to cimate change;
• Heavier rainfall in winter and dry periods in summer;
• "Building with nature" instead of fighting against water;
• New measures will be taken in the future.

Off to work

Do 2.3