The Dutch + Water

Jo Szczepanska

Trimester 1 M+H with Erna Beumers October 2009

Twenty-six percent of the Netherlands lies below sea level, i.e. below NAP. Without dunes or dikes, 66% of the Netherlands would be flooded on a regular basis.

Source: Watermonitor 2001

The Dutch have been reclaiming land since as early as 1533. The first polder was made by draining the Achtermeer south of Alkmaar.

For centuries, the creation of new agricultural land was the main reason for making polders.

Water in NL 2004-2005

Map of Holland 1559-1609

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/netherlands_1559-1608.jpg

Satellite of Holland 2009 Google earth

After the Second World War, however, reclaimed land was mainly a way of finding new land for the growing population

An prime example is the IJsselmeer dam which allowed almost half of the old Zuiderzee to become dry land.

Building of Afsluitdijk

http://www.eendijkvaneendijk.nl/Dijkboekarbeiders/slides/vervaardiging%20van%20 zinkstukken%20voor%20afsluitdijk%20561930.html

Photos of Zuiderzee Museum

Photos of Zuiderzee Museum

The Netherlands has a total of 3,500 kilometres of primary flood defences.

These consist of 1,430 km of river dikes, 1,017 km dikes around lakes, and 430 km dikes and 260 km dunes for coastal defense. http://www.waterland.net/

Storm Surge Barrier Oosterschelde http://z.about.com/d/architecture/

After the floods in the province of Zeeland in 1953 the government set up a project called the Delta Plan to protect Zeeland from future floods.

Water in NL 2004-2005

The Delta Works cost a total of EUR 5.4 billion.

Including the creation of the Maeslant barrier which also protects flood prone Holland from surges during storms. http://www.deltawerken.com

Maeslantkering Storm Surge Barrier http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Maeslantkering

utch studies, however, calculated greater levels of

R did. These studies took into account a more

frequent periods of drought with low water levels. Furthermore, the sea level is rising and, in the west of the Netherlands, the ground level is descending.

nd the fact that in the Netherlands there is a great

ticulture under glass and livestock farming.

The Third Coastal Policy Document Industry and Agricultural Total (2000)noted transport yields that0.8increasing 4.8 38.3 from 3 671.9 pressure 81.7 11,978 350.1 1,687.4 the1.0sea and 3,788.5 from 85.6 the land 20,333.0 19,244.0 610.6 130,866.4 eventually 27,059.2 779.7 164,903.1 would mean a weakening of the coastal defences.

damage (in millions of euro) from extreme

Rhine

ings

4.5

36.3

58.9

011.8

064.2

van het overstromingsgevaar en mogelijke schade bij extreem

001 Atlas – Atlas of the flood risk and potential damage from

ver Rhine), IKSR

To keep water manageable, a policy is being pursued that offers more room for water (see section 12). This will allow the water to follow a more natural course and further reduce the risk of flooding.

Climate scenarios In 2001, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) worked out climate change scenarios for the Netherlands.

Average rise

Values between:

Temperature

+1 Cº

and +6 Cº

Summer precipitation

+1%

and +4%

Winter precipitation

+6%

and +25%

Sea level

+20 cm and +110 cm*

D U T C H WAT E R M A N A G E M E N T F A

timates the value of the whole area protected by

*This figure takes into account the effect of soil subsidence in the Netherlands.

Source: KNMI, Third IPCC Report, 2001

Water in NL 2004-2005

25

In many parts of the Netherlands, there is a slow, natural fall in ground level.

This subsidence has various causes. So not only will the sea level rise but Holland is slowly sinking.

Water in NL 2004-2005

Amsterdam

Floating Cities

Delft University of Technology http://www.tudelft.nl/live/pagina. jsp?id=d70d7984-b807-4e0a-b3a49b9a243e9b8c&lang=en

Lilypad City

Vincent Callebaut http://www.eikongraphia.com/?p=2490

Lilypad City

Vincent Callebaut http://www.eikongraphia.com/?p=2490

Dura vermeer

Proposal for Drijvende Stad http://www.duravermeer.nl/projecten/

Watervilla

Waterstudio http://www.waterstudio.nl/

Watervilla

Waterstudio http://www.waterstudio.nl/

Palm Island Dubai Google earth