Rethinking the water system of artificial canals.

RETHINKING THE WATER SYSTEM OF ARTIFICIAL CANALS WITHIN THE TERRITORY. A Natural Alteration of the Juliana Canal in the Netherlands.

Master of Science of Urbanism and Strategic Planning

Piedad Hoyos Garcia

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MASTER IN SCIENCE URBANISM AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AUTHOR Piedad Hoyos Garcia TUTOR: Bruno De Meulder

MORE INFO ?

MAHS / MAUSP / EMU Master Programs Department ASRO, K.U.Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium Tel: + 32(0)16 321 391 Email: paulien.martens@kuleuven.be

© Copyright by K.U.Leuven Without written permission of the promotors and the authors it is forbidden to reproduce or adapt in any form or by any means any part of this publication.

Requests for obtaining the right to reproduce or utilize parts of this publication should be addressed to K.U.Leuven, Faculty of Engineering – Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, B-3001 Heverlee (België). Telefoon +32-16-32 13 50 & Fax. +32-16-32 19 88.

A written permission of the promotor is also required to use the methods, products, schematics and programs described in this work for industrial or commercial use, and for submitting this publication in scientific contests.

All images in this booklet are, unless credits are given, made or drawn by the author

Cover Picture: Martin Rodriguez Hoyos

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Table of Content

1. Introduction 7 2. Metodology 9 3. Meuse Basin Description 10 4. Problematic 24 5. Common Meuse 42 6. Guidelines 64 7. Findings and Conclusions 97 8 Bibliography 96

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4

Para Martín, Emilio y Omar que me dieron mas que su amor y paciencia.

Para mis Papás que me lo han dado todo.

Para Laura, Ana, Eugenio, Juan, Alvaro y Margarita que no me dejaron desfallecer ni un solo día en todo éste proceso.

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6

A Natural Alteration of the Juliana Canal in the Netherlands

The water control facilities, canals, artificial water constructions and engineering water systems have been preserved for economical purposes only; with negative spatial consequences for the surrounded. In many cases they ignore the landscape, fragment the territory and transform radically the spatial local features. The Juliana Canal is an example of this strong economical function that causes the logic against the water’s natural process and values. The Netherlands has invested in water subject during the last century substantial resources, technology, and innovation in the race for controlling its waters. Many concerns in terms of natural damages were not taken into consideration for its design or maintenance.

However, the Dutch policies show certain flexibility and evolution and it is why in the current National Spatial Strategy (NOTA RUIMTE) the territory is envisioned around the logic of water.

But something is apparently still missed in the whole picture: the interaction between river and canals and between canals and the territory. Under this context the connection and interaction between the Juliana Canal and the Meuse River can reveal unexplored opportunities in the construction of a sustainable landscape. In this work I focus on the Juliana Canal due to its constant changes and economical tensions. With this work I attempt to study the possible transformations of artificial water structures in order to improve the dynamics of natural watercourses and the dynamics of other natural structures such as forest and ecological habitats. This work is based in the assumption that improving natural water bodies will impact positively the urbanized territories and it will help reconsidered the territory based on water logics.

Water was the foundation of every human settlement. Rivers and canals solved basic needs such as drinking water, feeding animals and sowing plants. Water also works as a carrier of waste, from urban as well as industrial areas, and in greater proportion from

1. INTRODUCTION

Rethinking the Water System of Artificial Canals within the Territory.

pesticides and substances use for agriculture purposes; in synthesis, water helps to discard waste produced by human activities. Due to the fact that world population does not stop growing, the landscape has been tensioned by a complex dynamic of water dependency with overall inefficient water management habits, and therefore stressing soil, natural structures and natural habitats, among others, just to respond to human needs. This pressure turns the water against humans, and rapidly the water quality has been deteriorated and the water cycle has been modified (water scarcity, water pollution, flooding and drought); the pressure for an urgent switch lies on the table.

Despite all the technics, investments and innovations used by humans to control water they never tackled those problematic, instead, those constructions has been part of the cause or at least has been increased the problems. Engineering constructions manage the water mostly for economic purposes (navigability and commerce) in that regard design consideration were not framed into nature logics. In consequence water is split into a complex network of natural flows and artificial water constructions where the latest exploit a resource but not contemplate to be a mean to keeping the water in balance.

Amidst these tensions Europe is not an exception. In the last five decades, water issues have been consciously incorporated into environmental policies that have been contributed to strengthening of current policies enacted by The European Commission with the purpose of common agreements of European countries.

Water policies, since 1970s, were the first step into action for pollution concerns through a series of solutions proposed by the Environmental Action Program aimed at water protection.

Currently Europe water policies are outlined in the context of the Water Framework Directive adopted in 2000. The main target of this Directive is to achieve the “good status� of all surfaces, 7

ground and coastal waters (European Parliament, 2007). In the 21st century, water policies in Europe have had many changes and adjustments. For example, in 2006 floods and droughts were taken into greater consideration and the European Commission enacted the Directive on the Assessment and Management of Floods and undertook a formal analysis on Water Scarcity and Droughts.

Countries like The Netherlands have been concerned with water for a long time. Although the Dutch water history came from the 11th it is recently when their constant confrontation in the Delta area for land reclamation makes the country worldwide recognized in water management. In the recent history, the Delta project in 1953 aimed at controlling the water intrusion of the North Sea with slight ecological considerations. It was later on where they should have pondered its natural consequences and added it in the integrated water management policy launched in the 1980 (Rijkswaterstaat, 2011).

Reconsidering policies The Netherlands implemented in the last decades a governmental plan design called Room for the river in response to floods of 1993 and 1995 that took the breath away not just in the Netherlands, but also in Belgium and France equally.

Room for the river has had an important impact in the resilience of the rivers and the reconstruction of natural environment but mainly in building awareness about water logic within the territory.

The plan aims to give more space to the river to flow breadthways by means of moving the banks and fading existing dykes.

The Meuse River is one of the main rivers in The Netherlands. This river has been stressed and changed in the last two centuries; it has been canalized, normalized and retained by dykes along the shore to protect from flooding the urbanized territory. Nevertheless the Meuse is “more natural� in one of its segments, the particular area called Common Meuse (Grensmaas), where the river is the border between Belgium and the Netherlands. It is there where the river has been reframed under the logic of room for the river.

Additionally, the Meuse has another particularity: the artificial canals that depend on it. Three canals stress the flow of the river namely The South Willem’s canal (BE), the Juliana Canal (NL) and the Albert Canal (BE).

With this work, I contemplate the transformation of artificial water infrastructures (canals) and different goals of projects that involved articulation of natural and artificial systems. The latter by means of considering in the change and modification of the border of the canals and the use of shallow zones and terraces (Boedeltje, Smolders, Roelofs, & Van Groenendael, 2001; Van Kerckvoorde, Verschelde, Vanderhaeghe, Raman, & Vermeersch, 2013) to 8

increase the contact of the water with the territory. I conceive the design and modification of the artificial canals as a naturalisation.

For this study, naturalisation will be understood as a process to trigger nature and environmental balance in a landscape strongly modified for human actions; the previous based in researches and concepts of geographers and interdisciplinary groups (Rhoads, Wilson, Urban, & Herricks, 1999)(Roy, 2014) The study started as a revising process of functioning, actions, technics and projects that compare the Meuse River and the Juliana Canal. The main objective of this work is to understand the interaction of the two systems and to provide elements or guidelines for future designs and future landscape considerations, in order to introduce the naturalisation of hard elements (canals) and promote a greater synchronization with nature.

2. METODOLOGY

The perspective of this research is mainly analytical. In this way I aim at revealing the spatial conditions that relate The Meuse River and the Juliana Canal and beyond that to analyse how that interactions can be improved to unleash a sustainable territory. The analytical research is focused on the spatial analysis and the revising process of actions, techniques and projects related with the region.

of this changing territory. As a result, the main water issues of the Meuse River and the intricate water system were framed.

In this stage historical reports and technical documents were consulted (Rijkswaterstaat, 2009, 2011, 2012; RIJKSWATERSTAAT LIMBURG & Arcadis, 2009; “Riwa: Bassin hydrographique,” n.d.; Van der Veeren, Brouwer, Schenau, & van der Stegen, 2004).

Within the spatial analysis the fieldwork played an important role in understanding the connections between different scales and different elements. Natural but mainly artificial elements emphasize the skyline of the Juliana, namely, industrial sites, water treatment areas, landscape recovering areas, and urbanized territories; as well as bridges and buildings that are involved in crossing the canals and rivers. For that purpose pictures and collages were made. The spatial analysis was made from the large scale (river basin) to a regional scale (Limburg area). The large scale was documented with historical maps (Wit & Joenje, 2008)(Berger, 1992), environmental history (Nienhuis, 2008)(Tu, Hall, de Laat, & de Wit, 2005), and socio political issues (Disco & Heezik, 2014; van Heezik, 2008) of the river Meuse.

The revising process was characterized by the study of interdisciplinary text and face to face interviews. Several concepts used in the text are part of readings by geographers, hydraulic specialist and biologists (Arroyave & Crosato, 2010; Boedeltje, Smolders, Roelofs, & Van Groenendael, 2001; Malmqvist & Rundle, 2002; Rhoads, Wilson, Urban, & Herricks, 1999; Roy, 2014; Rozkošný et al., 2014; Van Kerckvoorde, Verschelde, Vanderhaeghe, Raman, & Vermeersch, 2013). Naturalisation, soil water retention, shallow zones and natural water treatment process are the group of concepts that connect design with reality. One of the most important results of this stage was the way in which the river is read and interpreted (Mathur, Da Cunha, Meeks, Wiener, & School of Design, 2014; Revelle & Lakshminarayana, 1975). This resulting conception was part of the base of the vision of the canal. On the other hand, the interviews were semi-structured interviews with several representative water management authorities of the Department of Public Works of the Netherlans (Rijkswaterstaat). The purpose of the interviews was to confront technical information and complete current situation perspective with local actors.

The spatial analysis of the region is design-based. In this stage there are highlighted elements that help to build an early stage of design.

In consequence interpretative maps and first guidelines of design were made. Basically a revision of aerial pictures that bring into the scene many new elements related with the water system both natural and artificial. The spatial analysis of the current situation was the starting point to have a general view and to clarify questions.

However, the constant switch between one scale and the other always was important and help to reveal other interactions. This brought into the study the current situation perspective and assisted in the recognition of different urban interactions that we can take advantage of for future proposal.

Revising process of actions, techniques and projects is the complementary part. The complexity of the water management and problematic were revealed only with the study of policy development within Europe and in the region in particular.

Treaties, agreements, policies, reports, news and projects were reviewed seeking for Meuse river and Juliana canal as keywords.

Around 80 articles were taken into consideration but only 35 were selected to build the framework where the water in Limburg is related. However, around only 15 articles (and books) were deeply studied to understand the European context in general as well as to introduce the dynamics and tensions of the Belgium and Netherlands border in particular. It helped in the approximation

In the last stage, the region of Stein was studied due to its spatial and functional tensions. It shaped the guidelines for the rethinking of the Juliana Canal. In this part, I employed spatial analysis, historical mapping review and study of current project in parallel.

Some interpretative maps, diagrams and strategies resulted from the analysis: Lack in forest, pollution produced by chemical industries, and historical mining regions all of them related with soil and water issues.

The result was a series of general maps that orientate and inform the proposed guidelines to make the Juliana Canal much more sustainable and related with its territory.

Dutch is the original language of a large part of the documentation revised. Although it is not my strong suit I revised policy as well as historical documents in their language in the lack translation available. In the cases where I could no make sense of the text I used Google translate. Having said this, any misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the literature is still possible.

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LOCATION

General Location within europe THE NETHERLANDS

Rotterdam GERMANY

BELGIUM Antwerp

Maastricht Eisden

Brussels

Bonn

Vise

Lille

Liege

Sedan

LUXEMBURG

FRANCE

Luxemburg Reims

Meu

Frontiers

se

Rhine

N

0 100 Km Figure 1. View of the Meuse River and Rhine River 10

Cities

ine

Pouilly-en-Bassigny

Rh

N

Meuse

3. MEUSE RIVER BASIN

APPROXIMATION TO THE MEUSE RIVER BASIN

Rotterdam

Dusseldorf Koln Antwerp

Maastricht Brussels

Liege

Bonn

Reims

Luxemburg

Reims

N

0 100 Km Figure 2. Meuse River Basin

The River Meuse is a rain-fed river located in Europe. The source of the river is Pouilly-en-Bassigny (between 384 and 405 meter above see level) on the plateau of Langres in France and travel along 5 countries – France (26% of surface area), Luxembourg (<1%), Belgium (41%), Germany (11%) and the Netherlands (22%) - about 935 km until the mouth of the river in The Netherlands just before the city of Rotterdam (Van Vliet & Zwolsman, 2008) The Walloon Region covers most part of the Ardennes Meuse (from Sedan to the Belgian–Dutch border between Vise and Eijsden), where most tributaries contribute to a fast discharge of the precipitation and thus to the floods of the Meuse river, particularly in the winter season (Berger, 1992). (Tu, Hall, de Laat, & de Wit, 2005).

An interesting figure is that even when the Meuse does not cross the German territory it plays with the regions of Düsseldorf and Köln of the state Nordzrhein–Westfalen, which account for about 19% and 12% of the basin area respectively; giving a high discharge to the Meuse: the main downstream tributaries are the Roer and the Niers, largely located in the regions Düsseldorf and Köln. (Tu, Hall, de Laat, & de Wit, 2005) 11

TRIBUTARIES RIVERS

in the lownlands 700- 800 mm in the Flemish-Dutch lownlands

TOPOGRAPHY

Dommel Niers Rur Geul Jeker

700- 800 mm in the Flemish-Dutch lownlands Vesdre

Sambre

Ambleve

Lesse Viroin

Ourthe Semois

Chiers

m es

1000â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1200 mm in the Ardennes 1000â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1200 mm in the Ardennes Low precipitation Precipitation above 1100mm 0 Streams that contribute to a fast

es contribute to adischare of the precipitation Most tributaries contribute to a e floods of the fast discharge of the precipitation winter season] and thus to the floods of the Meuse river-[ winter season]

50 m 100 m

Most tributaries contribute to a fast discharge of the precipitation and thus to the floods of the Meuse river-[ winter season]

N

0

100 km

Figure 3. Precipitation and Tributaries 12

Figure 4. Topography Source: Berger, Flow forecasting for the river Meuse.

200 m 300 m 500 m

MEAN ANNUAL PRECIPITATION

During droughts, the contribution of these tributaries and groundwater inflow to the total discharge of the Meuse River is relatively high. De Wit et al. (2001) conclude that the discharge of the Meuse is more variable compared to that of other rainfed rivers. This implies that the Meuse has a relatively fast response to precipitation and is therefore relatively sensitive to both flooding and drought. (Van Vliet & Zwolsman, 2008).

The average annual discharge at the Belgium–Dutch border amounts to 265 m3 s−1, with extremes of less than 10 m3 s−1 during droughts and more than 2500 m3 s−1 during floods. Droughts can last from a few weeks up to half a year. During periods of low flow, weirs are operated to maintain a minimum water level for shipping (Berger, 1992). Another important figure is the quantity of waste water produce for the population around 20 mt3 /sec. (“Riwa: Bassin hydrographique,” n.d.) and the presence of human pharmaceutical in the water cycle (Van der Veeren, Brouwer, Schenau, & van der Stegen, 2004).The water quality of the Meuse has been changing in the last fifty years. In the 1960s, water quality of the Meuse deteriorated, and the river was most heavily polluted around 1970.

700 mm 800 mm 1000 mm 1200 mm 1400 mm

Common Meuse.

N

0 0

0

25

25

50

50

75

75

100

100

100 km

Figure 5. Annual precipitation Source: Berger, Flow forecasting for the river Meuse.

The fact that the Meuse River is rain dependent it is characterized by a highly variable discharge regime with commonly low discharges during summer and autumn, and that is highly sensitive to droughts(Berger, 1992). Additionally to dry periods agriculture and release of cooling water by power plants stress even more the normal function of the rivers (Tu et al., 2005). Furthermore, water is extracted for domestic use and drinking water supply of506 million 0 25 75 in-100Km 0 Netherlands.

25 50 habitants of Belgium and the These functions depend on the water quality of the Meuse river, which is related to river flow and water temperature (Van Vliet & Zwolsman, 2008).

13

FOREST IN ANCIENT TIMES A B C The land use changes are an important factor within the new dynamics of the Meuse Basin that is mainly flooding; it interferences with the hydrological system (Tu et al., 2005) . The dramatic picture from the Romans ( Figure 6) to now (figure 8) shows how it has been erased and replaced by agriculture areas almost the 80% of forest. The change of the catchment and precipitation are basically the reason of flooding increment namely deforestation. Nevertheless the forest is maintained in the last century stable or even increasing about 2 % in the area of Dutch Limburg for example. Figure 7 shows the division in percentage of the main common land use in the Basin.

D

However more than the presence of fo -rests the conclusion that bring Min Tu is that the management of land related with forestry impact much more but it is even â&#x20AC;&#x153;hardly discernibleâ&#x20AC;? its influence in the changes of floods in the Meuse River basin. The Basin is not just the natural water system, it is also the connection with and artificial layer of canals, water treatment plants, or cooling plants that also transform the natural flow of the river and its natural environment. The previous by means of damming, flow regulation, normalisation, channelization or bank stabili35% Agriculture zation.

0

9% Built area

25

50

75

35% Forest

100

Area (1000 ha)

20 % Pasture

Agriculture Forest

en tot Maas

100

Peaty-soil Flooding area Urban

0

50

248 56 335 250

1895

1929

1984

1999

Conifers

Broad leaved

N

0

25

100 km

Figure 6. Romans time forest and agriculture use Source: De Wit, Marcel Van Regen tot Maas 14

0

25

50

75

100

75

CURRENT OCCUPATION

35% Agriculture 9% Built area 35% Forest

Area (1000 ha)

20 % Pasture

N

0

248 56 335 250

1895

1929

1984

1999

100 km

Conifers

Broad leaved

Figure 7 right. Diagram percentage land use Figure 8 left. current forest and agriculture use Source: De Wit, Marcel Van Regen tot Maas 0

25

50

75

100

15

FLOODING AREAS Rotterdam

Maastricht

Liege Namur

Urbanized territory Important cities Course of the Meuse River Tributarie rivers Area exposed to flooding Basin border National border Commom Meuse

N

0

100 km

Figure 9. Flooding areas Source: De Wit, Marcel Van Regen tot Maas 16

TYPE OF SOIL

The watershed of the Meuse covers a total area of nearly 35,000 square kilometres and has more than 9 million people. (riwa 2013 climate change). Characteristic of the basin are the climatic differences and a variety of hydrogeological conditions and soil types(H de Mars, M. Ransijn, & P. Verbraak, 2000).

Water Urban Stony clay or slate Marine clay Old clay Fluvial clay Loss and loam Sandy loam Limestone Sandy Peat

N

0

100 0km

Figure 10. Soil features Source: De Wit, Marcel Van Regen tot Maas

25

0

50

25

75

50

100Km

75

100Km

According to RIWA the Meuse basin is divided in three areas high, middle and low.

The high segment comes from the source to and area called Mezieres in France. This area has a nature profile with some agriculture and grassland use and low population density. The River here comes slower than the rest because of the porosity features of the soil and the presence of more natural element that also are part of areas of ecological value. The second segment from Charleville_Mezieres to Liege finds a hard urbanized and industrialized territory. The income of high quantity of waste is important to notices. The soil is permeable in this second segment. The last segment crosses Belgium and The Netherlands from Liege to the Dutch delta; in this area the soil is varied: the upstream part is made of limestone, clay and loess. While in the north of Maastricht, the soil is generally sandy, and the background of the bed is mainly gravel. (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Riwa: Bassin hydrographique,â&#x20AC;? n.d.). This region is dense inhabited with high exploitation of the riverbed and modification in the course of the river from normalization to canalisation. Around a third part of this last stretch is the border between the Limburg province of Netherlands and the Limburg province of Belgium.

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LONGITUDINAL SECTION- THE MEUSE TOTHE SEA

900 km

Rotterdam

700 km

Netherlands

Geertruidenberg

Lith Grave Gennep

600 km

Venlo

525 km

Flanders / Nehterlands

Roermond Maastricht

450 km Eijsden

Wallonia

Liege

375 km

Namur

Revin

300 km

France

CharlevilleMezieres

225 km

Sedan Stenay

150 km

Verdun

75 km

7m

100 m

200 m

418 m

Poully en Basigny

300 m

Neufchateau

N

Figure 11. Longitudinal section Source: De Wit, Marcel Van Regen tot Maas 18

0

100 km

THE MEUSE AND THE TERRITORY

Figure 12. Transversal section along the Meuse Source image background: mapsgoogle.

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NAVIGABLE ROUTES IN 1886

Source Belgian Topographie kaart

Figure 13. Historical Map of canals in Belgium Source: Belgian Topographie Kaart 20

CURRENT CANALS

A B C D

In the Meuse river basin interacts 22 canals. In France only 4 canals were built; but is in The Netherlands and Flanders where an enormous red of canals are taking water from the river. The Albert Canal, The South Willemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canal, the Juliana Canal and the Lateral Canal are a set of pieces that in a distance of 50 Km take big amounts of water from the river. Big tension, modification and new dynamics of the territory appear in a period of maximum 100 years. The main purpose for the canals is navigability and to facilitate connection and commerce. However, the water is also transported as drinking water to other areas as is the case of the Albert Canal that feed with water to Flanders in Belgium. Process water for industry, power production and irrigation are also another function of these canals system.

0

100 km

Figure 14. Canals in the Meuse Basin Source: De Wit, Marcel Van Regen tot Maas

Common Meuse

35% A

Canals

9% B

Meuse River

35%

Basin border

20 %

Streams Political borders

00 ha)

N

24821 56

15 Km

Milich Milich Huckelhoven Huckelhoven `Doverener`Doverener Hetzerath Hetzerath Granterath Granterath

Roer

Wurm Branunsrath Branunsrath

Roer Oberbruch Oberbruch

Heinsberg Wurm Heinsberg

Waldfeucht Waldfeucht

60 Km 66.5 Km

50 Km

40 Km

60 Km

50 Km

60 Km

Germany

37.5 Km

70 Km

70 Km

Elsdorf

Roer

30 Km

Germany

30 Km

Elsdorf

Roer

Brunssum

40 Km

79 Km

79 Km

Roer

Susteren

22.5 Km

52.5 Km

45 Km

Roer

Scheulder

Bemelen

5.44 Km

Bemelen

150 m

Zuid canal

300 m 43 m 225 m

Maastricht

400mm 150

Maastricht

300 m SECTION B 225 m The Netherlands

Scheulder

Zuid canal

400 m

Juliana Canal

20 Km

30 Km

Wehebachtal und Wehebachtal und Leyberg Leyberg

10 Km

The Netherlands

45 Km

60 Km 66.5 Km

Inde

0 Km

52.5 Km

Germany

Inde

36 m

The Netherlands

20 Km

45 Km

Germany

Brunssum

100 m

37.5 Km

Aachen

10 Km

Genk

150 m0 Km

37.5 Km

Aachen

100 269mm 36 m 200 m

Germany

The Netherlands

Schinen

Genk

Belgium

150 m

30 Km

Schinen

269 m

22.5 Km

Dorbach

Belgium

200 m

Juliana Canal Susteren

15 Km

30 Km

Dorbach

7.5 Km

22.5 Km

Elsloo

0 Km

15 Km

Juliana Canal

7.5 Km

94 m 75 m 50 m 29 m SECTION A

Juliana Elsloo Canal

0 Km

Molenveld

Meeuwen-Gruitrode

Gulpen Gulpen Kleine Geul Kleine Geul

m m m m

Germany

The Netherlands

MaasmechelenMaasmechelen Zuid Canal Zuid Canal Kotem Kotem `Meuse `Meuse

94 75 50 29

Zuid Canal Molenveld

Belgium Meeuwen-Gruitrode

The Netherlands

Meuse

Zuid Canal

Belgium

Meuse

TRANSVERSAL SECTIONS IN THE COMMON MEUSE

52.5 Km

60 Km

69.5 Km

43 m

Eupen

Belgium

Walkenradt Walkenradt

The

Aubel

500 m

Alber t Canal Eben Alber t Eben Canal Lanaye Lanaye Meuse Meuse Eijsden Eijsden

The distribution5.44 of water was 15 an Km issue. For that reason some treaties have been implemented to control the amount of water that is taking Km 22.5 Km 30 Km 45 Km 52.5Germany Km 37.5 Km 60 Km 69.5 Km from the Meuse andThe in this Belgium way to maintain in periods of droughts the river in balance. It was just in 1995 that a treaty was implemented Netherl. for the distribution of the water of the Meuse between the Juliana Canal and the Albert canal. The water should be divided equally in 600 mand during droughts The Meuse should always keep as minimum 10 m3/s. three Germany

Eupen

Natural Park Hautes Natural Park Hautes

22 50 m

Aubel

The pollution increased in the 20th caused by the logic of industrialisation, but also by the urban growing and the new dynamics of waste.

Netherl.

250 Due to 600m m construction of wastewater treatment plants, technological innovations in industrial processes, and policy measures (e.g. a ban on phosphate-based detergents) the water quality has slowly improved since the 1970s. Despite these measures, present-day concentrations 500 m of nutrients, salts and metals are still much higher than the natural (background) concentrations. Water quality of the Meuse also shows a50considerable spatial variability. In the upstream reaches (near the source), the river water is least polluted. Water quality generally dem teriorates downstream from the inflow of the Sambre river (Belgium), and the water quality remains poor down to the Belgiumâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Dutch 250 m border. A partial recovery occurs in the lower part in the Netherlands (Van Vliet & Zwolsman, 2008)due to the inflow of less polluted 20 Km 25 Km30 53.3 Km Kmcontaminated 10 Km 15 of 4.9 and Km deposition Km within Km 35 40 Km45 water from tributaries suspended solids theKm channel bed.

36 m

10 Km

Roer

Elsdorf

40 Km

50 Km

60 Km

70 Km

79 Km

Roer

Inde

Gulpen Kleine Geul

Wehebachtal und Leyberg

150 m

Scheulder

225 m

30 Km

Germany

Bemelen

300 m

Maastricht

400 m

Zuid canal

The Netherlands

Brunssum

Juliana Canal

20 Km

Germany

Aachen

0 Km

Dorbach

100 m

Schinen

Genk

200 m

Elsloo

269 m

150 m

The Netherlands

Maasmechelen Zuid Canal Kotem `Meuse

Belgium

43 m

5.44 Km

15 Km

22.5 Km

30 Km

37.5 Km

45 Km

52.5 Km

60 Km

69.5 Km

4.9 Km 10 Km

Eupen

Walkenradt

Natural Park Hautes

50 m

Germany

Aubel

Meuse Eijsden

250 m

The Belgium Netherl.

Lanaye

600 m 500 m

Eben Alber t Canal

SECTION C

15 Km 20 Km 25 Km30 Km 35 Km 40 Km45 Km

53.3 Km

SECTION D

Urbanized territory Agriculture land Water Forest Cities 0

25

50

75

100

The canals and the river are two systems working parallel. The River fed the canals, and the canals control the water and detached it from the soil and nature around. The canals are one of the most important human structures that connect, develop commerce and strength industry, but in some extent the canals are the cause of disconnect natural systems and alter freshwater habitats. The paradox of water management is clearly present.

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4. FLOODS, DROUGHTS & POLLUTION

OLD MEANDERS OF THE MEUSE RIVER

Maaseik Roosteren Dieteren Elen Susteren Holtum Papenhoven Buchten Grevenbicht Born Obbicht

Stokkem

Eisden

Leut

Urmond Stein

Maamechelen

Boorsem

Reken

Uikhoven

Kotem

Elsloo

Geulle

Meuse before 1410 Meuse before 1651 Alte Meuse according to Tranchotkaartv Penetration 1673 Fishers area

N

Meuse current situation Juliana Canal

0 0 51 Km 2 3 4 Figure 4.1.Historical movements of bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s river.

24

5Km

Climate change impacts the whole globe; changes in sea tide, erratic precipitation patterns and increasing of temperatures have disrupted and altered the water cycle. With wetter and hotter seasons, there are more chances of natural disasters all over the planet. Natural and artificial environments suffer these negatives consequences equally, but it is easier to perceive the impact when the disasters concern humans beings. We are even more aware and susceptible to disasters since the calamities reach urban territories where thousands of children, women and man can feel the impact of an unpredictable planet. The main element for the human survival has been put between a rock and a hard place.

When there is too much water it causes floods and living disasters, when there is too few it causes droughts and food disasters,

on top of all of it water is now coming polluted and it causes health disasters.

Floods, droughts and pollution are the main water issues for human beings. The Netherlands has not been the exception.

The interconnection, i.e. the dependency on other countries because of the riversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; nature, suggests the need to improve the relation between countries, regions, cities and persons with water and with nature in general. The Common Meuse shows an interesting scenario where those problems have been analysed and put in consideration, creating (or regenerating) a seemingly more natural and sustainable environment.

MAIN FLOODING AREAS ALONG THE MEUSE

Roterdam

THE NETHERLANDS

Antwerp

BELGIUM Brussele

Maastricht

GERMANY Bonn

Lille

Urbanized territory Important cities

FRANCE

Course of the Meuse river Tributary rivers Area exposed to flooding.

Basin border National borders

LUXEMBOURG Luxembourg

Largest flooding areas

‘Water will not be compelled by force or it will return that force unto you’ Andries Vierlingh 0

25

50

75

100

“Storm flood are subjectively defined as a situation with strong winds and extremely high water, and above all severe damage to human lives and properties.”(Nienhuis, 2008). Flooding is a key issue for The Netherlands and not just in the delta area but also in the inner part of the country; its history has been the history of development of protection against water. Dikes, embankments, polders, canals and dams, among others, are part of the vocabulary of Dutch people and especially about the development of its territory.

N

0 50 Km Figure 4.2 Flooding areas n the Meuse Basin 25

NETHERLAND AND BELGIUM MEUSE

Bergharen Nederasselt Venlo

Bergharen Nederasselt Venlo Oss

Oss

Important floodings in The Netherlands since 1500: Roermond Obbicht Itteren, Borgharen

Roermond

Luik

Obbicht Itteren, Borgharen

Huy

Luik Huy Dinant

Important floodings in The Netherlands since 1500:

Dinant

From Dinant to Den Bosch

1500 1571 From Dinant to Den Bosch1600 1614

1643 Charlevile-Mezieres Luik 1700

1740 Charlevile-Mezieres 1799 CharlevilleLuik, Bergharen, Luik Mézieres.

1800 Nederasselt

Roermond,1850 Itteren, 1880 Venlo, Borgharenm CharlevilleMézieres.

N

Luik, Bergharen, Nederasselt Roermond, Itteren, Venlo, Borgharenm

1900 1926

1500 1571 1600 1614 1643 1700 1740 1799 1800 1850 1880 1900 1926 1993 1995 2000 2003

1993 1995 2000 2003

0 50 Km Figure 4.3. Historical floods

The history shows how recurrent flooding has been since the 6th century, but this old date is a story based on situations of the surroundings but not really documented as flooding (Nienhuis, 2008).

However, the comparison between the work of de Wit and Nienhuis do not have similarities in dates before contemporary flooding probably because de Wit focuses on the Meuse (source and course) and de Nienhuis on the Delta (Meuse and Rhine relationship).

Since 1421 many flooding in the delta area has been documented. In 1643 it has been reported to be one of the most dramatic flooding, with terrible consequences for Belgium where 200 victims were claimed in the zone of the Huy; in Liege 200 houses and 80 fatal victims and in the Oss surroundings were completely erased (M. J. M. Wit & Joenje, 2008). Jan Huisman documented the increasing of floods from 18th onwards in France that also impacted some areas in The Netherlands. There is some areas where floods 26

are more common, namely west of Roermond, between Ohé and Maasbracht, near Maastricht and between Heugem and Itteren (Berger, 1992) all located along the Common Meuse or border area between the Netherlands and Belgium. The impossibility to have really good datum about floods due to the limited documentation and the difficulty to measure the impact of floods make the puzzle to remain incomplete.

The Netherlands is partly located in the delta of two main rivers, the Rhine and the Meuse, and consequently suffers constant overflows. However, the south of The Netherlands is also vulnerable to surge because the Meuse receives the water flow coming from Belgium and France. In addition, the increase of temperature, modification of the land-use, normalisation of rivers and construction of canals have changed and deteriorated the rivers’ features and consequently tensioned the relation with the urbanized territory.

RIVER LONGITUDINAL PROFILE- LOCKS IN THE NETHERLANDS WEIRS AND LOCKS ALONG THE MEUSE IN THE NETHERLANDS

50

30

RAIN FALL / 20 EVAPOTRANSPIRATION/ DISCHARGE +10

0 -10

Andries

Lith

Grave

Sambeek

June to September

concentrations of n salts metals DROUGHTS

WAT

1970 elements that helped pollution along the M

October to February

40

elevation in Meters

Seasonal variation

Belfeld

Maasbracht Linne

Born

Limmel Borgharen

Roermond

Lateral Canal

Juliana Canal / Grensmaas

Termayon

Albert Canal

RAIN FALL / EVAPOTRANSPIRATION/ DISCHARGE

June to September

Seasonal variation

0

10

20

30

FLOODING

40

50

60

70

DROUGHTS

80

90

FLOODING

Plant water treatment

New technology industrial processes

expecting to reduce flooding 1/250 per year

WATER QUALITY 1970 elements that helped to reduce pollution the Meuse 100 110along120 130 140

October to February

Flood protection dykes-dams- room for the river

Flood protection dykes-dams- room for the river

concentrations of nutrients salts metals

Plant water treatment

150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 Distance in Kilometers

New technology Policy measure industrial processes

expecting to reduce flooding 1/250 per year

Figure 4.4 Meuse transversal section along the Netherlands Verduijn. M . (2015) Future weir Linne.

water retention level control

Figure 4.5 Floods in Meuse River banks 1993-1995 Wit and Joenje (2008)Van Regen tot Maas

How is the influence of the weirs and locks in the urbanized territorio?

Cities are capsules where everything is given.

The river Meuse goes into The Netherlands after traveling through Belgium and France. These areas are characterized for a low permeable soil, which allows increasing the speed and discharge of water into the Grensmaas. The slope of the river and its tributaries is quite high before entering to The Netherlands. Additionally, there is an amount of streams before Maastricht that makes this part of the river a region of excess of water (Berger, 1992). The interest on flooding increased because of the serious nuisances caused to human settlements and to the economical production including livestock, farming and shipping. ¬The flooding of 1926 is known as legendary, and it gained the attention of the government. But it was the flooding of 1953 in the delta that pushed for the creation of a protection plan (Delta Plan) and directed the development of stronger legislation. Strengthening of dikes, improvements of discharges of rivers and the canalization of the Meuse river “continued energetically: ten sharp me-

anders were cut off the summer-bed of the river was widened and deepened, and the floodplains were excavated” (Nienhuis, 2008). It should be pointed out that many early actions about flooding were taken on the Rhine as the largest navigable river in the Netherlands. The Meuse, however had another appeal.

It is a gravel river precisely in the area of the Grensmaas. Clay, sand and gravel were extracted and consequently it was generated modifications on the course and the features of the river.

The main important change was the creation of lakes due to the movement of soil. The Common Meuse River is the only gravel-bed river in the Netherlands and for this reason its bed has often been excavated in the past to provide material for construction. Unfortunately no records of the extracted volumes are available (Arroyave & Crosato, 2010).

27

FLOODING AND PROTECTION - DYKES AND ECOLOGICAL VALUE

Tradition of dykes from the Roman times.

The dykes became a natural wall full of landscape values. OF DYKES ( MAASDIJKPLAAN OLOGICAL VALUE [van de Looy, 1999]

1980) BELGIUM SIDE) van looy 1999

The plan for Meuse dykes (Maasdijkenplan): It was a project started in 1980 in the Belgium side for the border area of the Meuse river . It aimed to strenght and rise the winter dykes. The purpose of that was enlarge its capacity until 3000 m3. [gemeenschappelijkemaas.be] winter dykes along the since 1980 in Belgium

Flood protection- representation taken from Maasdijkenplan, Belgium.

Summer-bed Floodplains

Flood protection- representation by Ministerie van verkeer en waterschaap, The Netherlands

River

Floodplains

Winter bed

Winter Dyke

Summer Dyke

Summer Dyke

Winter Dyke

Biological value

HIgh biological Value ECOLOGICAL VALUE OF DYKES ( MAASDIJKPLAAN 1980) BELGIUM SIDE) van looy 1999

N Images: Source De Wit, Van regen tot Maas, 2008

0 1 2 3 4 5Km

Figure 4.7. Dykes Ecological values Van Looy (1999) De winterdijken in de Maasvallei

Figure 4.8. Enlargement of the winter bed.

Previous summer dyke

The dynamic of floods have produced different elements around Biological value artificial canals water logic like: dikes, interaction between streams, and soil movements.

The dikes are a perfect example of how the landscape is always willing to take its journey to the nature. The nature responds HIgh biological Value easily to no controlled areas. Dikes are artificial topographies that protect the urban territory from flooding. In the dykeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surfaces is allowed to the nature to grow. The study of Van Looy showed the traditional dry floodplain grasslands developed optimally on the dikes, thanks to the existing microclimate, calcareous fluvial deposits and the extensive management on the dikes. This management strategy is the result of a multi-year research project on the embankments of the Common Meuse in the Belgium side (Van Looy 1999).

New winter dike

28

Previous winter dike

Soil movementreuse.

Summer Dyke

Previous winter dike

New winter dike

10 Km 0 Figure 4.6. Flooding areas in Netherlands and Dykes.

Diagram based on Ministerie van V&W(2007) Dijkringgebied I

ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURES Dikes, embankments or canals.

Dikes, embankments or canals.

Overflowing

Overflowing

Normal level

Normal level

Low level

Low level

Figure 4.9 Streams piped under the canals

The streams that cross dykes and embankments in their way to the Meuse River are canalized. In the Belgium area it controls the mouth of streams and Tributaries Rivers into the Meuse by piping the streams underneath the dams and embankments. The main purpose is to add return valves in the mouth of the piped stream to avoid return water from the overflowed river.

Soil movement

Gravel taken

Soil movement

Gravel taken

Gravel taken

Gravel taken

river extension

river extension drawing based in Liefveld, W. Stowa.nl,. Van Grensmaas naar Gemeenschappelijke Maas. 2013

Nature development

Nature development

Figure 4.9 Movement of soil for room for the river .

The work done on the Dutch side to make room for the river are based on earthworks. However, these movements caused changes in Liefveld, Stowa.nl,. Van Grensmaas naarunpredictable Gemeenschappelijke Maas.

2013and increasing the wetness of the soil changing the features of the soil for indrawing the based water tableW.producing floods in areas agricultural purposes.

Source: grensmaas.nl / Urmond - Borgharen project.

Source: grensmaas.nl / Urmond - Borgharen project.

Grensmaas project Room for the River

Canals have not influence on the flooding of the Meuse River due to their controlled water capacity to avoid any extra help that river could need. Additionally, they increase the speed of the water because of its straight lines and also return warmer water to the river; the latter caused by the use of water on power generators and the chemical industry of Chemelot. Nevertheless, the interaction between natural and artificial water systems has at least one positive impact on the protection of the river avoiding shipping through the river and diminishing natural stress and pollution issues.

29

HISTORICAL FLOODS During the 19th the river Meuse was canalized and normalized.

The core of these transformations was made in Belgium and The Netherlands where many locks and weirs were built to control the flow speed of the steepest area upstream the river. Additionally, the river was also widened upstream increasing the volume of water that, in many cases, were not adapted by the locked structures. That interaction increased the risk of flooding (Berlamont, 1995). Weirs and locks open to allow ships to cross, this movement causes waste of water, which in moments of droughts can be dramatic and affect the normal navigation for rivers and canals.

During the 20 century many floods took down big areas in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The 1953 flooding was devastating around the delta and it induced the Delta Plan. The strategy looks for the protection of the delta lands from the sea by means of large constructions as dykes and dams, among others.

Also in the Common Meuse was needed a plan for water management issues. In this border zone between the Netherlands and Belgium, the logic of industry and commerce modified different water layers. That is the case of the subsidence caused by the mining, or the modification of the riverbed due to the gravel extraction, the canalisation and regularization for navigability combined with the accelerated urbanization in the valley (Berlamont, 1995).

Later on in 1993 and 1995 two consecutive floods marked the difference because of their power, devastation, and economical conseqÂŹuences. The damages costed 345 millions of euros just in France, for that reason it was implemented an action plan in the inner Dutch Meuse increasing the width and the height of dykes and building ring dykes around settlement to improve protection. Also in Belgium the impact had been diminished by dykes, which in turn became an important natural (artificial) area like the Maasdijkplan.

De Wit, Van Regen tot Maas, 2008.

Figure 4.13 Consequences of flooding Wit and Joenje (2008)Van Regen tot Maas 30

Figure 4.11. Flooding 1995 Wit and De Joenje tot2008.

Maas Wit,(2008)Van Van RegenRegen tot Maas,

Figure 4.12. Flooding 2003 Wit and Joenje (2008)Van Regen tot Maas

MAASEIK

ECHT

overflows.

Preparation of the optim supra-municipal water tre FLOODING AND COMMON MEUSE Renovation of the mostly infrastructureare andin rehabili The MeuseProject works Elerweerd:reduction (Maaswerken) the the framework summer banks.

Lowering Roosteren overflows. current water for the NetherMAASEIK the goals summer down tofloods lands; its main are:dike to prevent SUSTEREN ECHT ground level, along the Meuse, to keep the river navigable (Maasroute), to give room to Project the Visserweert Drains:and Levende Grensmaas.

Kogge Greend river (Common Meuse or Grensmaas for dike Bichterweerd. removal of summer its name in lowering Dutch). the summer dike along Bichte Common MeuseÂŹ thecurrent strategic project Project Elerweerd:reduc weerd toisthe ground level and Koeweide that seeks to diminishthe the impact of floodwidening channel between the summer banks.Negen Lowe Roosteren Bichterweerd ing by means widening the winter bed BORN andofBichterweerd the summer dike down River. The project is located SUSTERENof the Meuse Grevenbicht Sanitation project ground level, in the stretch of the river which serves as in Dilsen frontier between the Netherlands and BelVisserweert Drains: Levende Grensm Kogge Greend gium. This area is not canalized but norNormalization in Negenoord, removal Bichterweerd. removal o Nogenoord malised, many meander cutthe andsafety the of th summer dike. were Increase Nattenhoven lowering the summer dik flow of the river were disturbed.

However, subsidence area by reducing the risk o to the due to political disagreements thecurrent river Koeweide flooding onweerd the embankments and gro to SITTARD never was suitable for large shipping, but widening the channel maximum of nature in the summerbe be Bichterweerd allow a natural profile along their section. without excluding soft recreation BORN Urmond and Bichterweerd This strategy has a different glance in the MAASMECHELEN Grevenbicht Sanitation Maasband:Its Construction of give a flooding protection. purpose project is to Maasband incanal, Dilsen secondary no enough room for the river and with thisspace insignia is GELEEN to wider the river. widening the river to let him take a course Meers STEIN Normalization in Negen as natural asMeers: possible.

The current Dutch Widener Nogenoord summer dike.

Increase th strategy is focused on the decline of floods of the river, and Nattenhoven subsidence area by redu up to 1/ 250 years and to improve natugravel extraction ELSLOO ral systems. The area flooding includes on the the stretch embank Kotem Drains: Boertinlocaties: Kotem SITTARD from Maastricht in Vlaams themaximum south to Roosteren of nature in th Geulle aan Normalization in the north of the Netherlands. de Maas without excluding soft re Urmond Drains: Vlaams Boertinlocaties: Herbri MAASMECHELEN Construction of a barrier Maasband: Constructio Maasband Surface Water Herbricht secondary canal, no spa quality to wider the river.

GELEEN Meers STEIN Itteren: Current processing the Grave Meers: Widener Hochter Bampd Itteren sand from Geulle aan de Maas .

Cities and townsof the river, and Contruction of a new recreational lak gravel extraction Green Areas- Forest Borgharen ELSLOO Kotem

Bosscherveld

Drains: Vlaams Boertinlocaties: Hochte Industrial Conglomerations Drains: Vlaams Boertinlo

Geulle aan de Maas

- Natural Area. Located between Meu

Dutch Locations Normalization ZuidWV

Belgium LocationsDrains: Purification Area: Vlaams

MAASTRICHT Herbricht

Hochter Bampd

Boertinlo

Connection Sewerage Construction of a barrie

Water Extens Borgharen:Surface Gravel extraction. river widening quality

Itteren: Current Bosscherveld: stagnating dueprocess to grave sales sand from Geulle aan d scheepvaart: Infra structure/ heightr Contruction of a new increase of bridges along Albert cana

Itteren Borgharen

Bosscherveld MAASTRICHT

N

0 100 Km Figure 4.14 -Grensmaas Project location

Main Points in the Grensmaas project.: Vlaams Boertinlo -Widening channels.

Source: Drains: - Grensmaas.nl Natural Area.

Located - Riverpark Maasvallei -Rehabilitation of river overflow.

ZuidWV -Lowering or removal of summer dikes.

-Sanitation projects Purification Area: Connection Sewerage -Construction of second channels where there is not space enough toGravel extra Borgharen: wider. river widening - Gravel Extraction.

Bosscherveld: -Purification areas where there are stagnatin sewerage connections. sales scheepvaart: Infra str increase of bridges alon

Source:

- Grensmaa - Riverpark 31

Figure 4.15. Droughts Wit and Joenje (2008)Van Regen tot Maas

Figure 4.16. Droughts Wit and Joenje (2008)Van Regen tot Maas 32

DROUGHTS

“The capacity of water systems to cope with changing water dynamics depends strongly on soil characteristics, presence of flooding areas and run-off management. However, due to extensive engineering projects in the last decades, many water systems have become increasingly vulnerable to climate change.” (Water Research Institute, 2008)

]

rix

Figure 4.17 The Impact of Droughts

The river Meuse in Western Europe is a rain-fed river that is characterized by a highly variable discharge regime with commonly low discharges during summer and autumn, and that is highly sensitive to droughts (Berger, 1992).

Droughts are even more common than floods. They can happen every two years but its consequences are not clearly perceived by the urban territory, as floods could be. However, the control required needs a clear engagement between the operations of artificial systems that extract water from the river. There is scarce historical information found on droughts, citing among the reasons that droughts are less dramatic than floods, yet they occur more often. (M. J. M. Wit & Joenje, 2008) The 1976 and 2003 droughts have been a stepping-stone to create models for the future management and control of shortages. The minimum of water into the Meuse was 22 m3/s in 1926 compared to the 250m3/s discharged into the Meuse. The principal consequence of water scarcity is “significant adverse effects with respect to water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, eutrophication, concentrations of major elements, and some heavy metals and metalloids (selenium, nickel and barium)”(Van Vliet & Zwolsman, 2008-pag 16) In conclusion the water quality is affected and this impacts the function of the ecological dynamics along the river (Van Vliet & Zwolsman, 2008).The whole water system would fail: shipping, cooling, drinking water production, recreation, agriculture will be affected in case strong drought will happen.

During droughts, shipping is normally paralysed and having to wait until the water levels come back to normal. As well as that, power plants cannot take water from the river in consequence no energy is produced. The general water temperature increases therefore the distribution network is full with warm water. The main consequence of this increasing temperature is the generation of microbiological activities and that can affect human health (M. de Wit et al., 2001)(Water Research Institute, 2008).

The river Meuse bifurcates before to meet The Common Meuse.

Albert Canal, the South William’s canal and the Juliana canal are the artificial arms that take water from the River. For that reason the river gets lower water levels than previous canals construction.

In this regard was signed an agreement that keeps a minimum discharge into the Meuse. That means that the Meuse in drought times should receive 10m3/s of water no matter if the canals have or not water.

In contrast to floods, during water shortages artificial canals experience difficulties, their main function becomes impossible to achieve. The ships should wait until the water is enough to navigate. We can see, that drought is a problem less studied but dramatically detrimental in the same way for urban and natural environments. The urgency to think what to do to have water should be thinking in a wider scope, Thinking how can storage water, but how important is to improve quality of soils and that can be made only by means of the enhancement of nature and green infrastructure.

33

URBAN INFLUENCE IN WATER QUALITY

In the mid 20-century, in the Netherlands water quality was considered a main concern among water issues. The first Water Policy Document was written in 1968 but it was until 1980 when a real ecological and environmental awareness took place in the institutional realm. This policy strengthening was made because of an unfortunate, terrible natural damage in the Rhine River. An accident in a Swedish factory caused an enormous leakage of solvent and pesticide into the river. Tons of death fish arrived to The Netherland and its impact is still being considered.

The flooding Meuse river Tributary rivers

N

0 100 Km Figure 4.18. Urban areas along the Meuse 34

0

Urbanized territory

25

50

75

100

The pollution in the Meuse is very diffuse but I can highlight three problems: First, the pollution caused by metals and radioactive substances. In this regard, Belgium plays an important role. Belgium has an economical history that went from a depletion of the coalmines to the construction of nuclear power generators. Both –coalmines and nuclear reactorsstressed the water cycle; they polluted and exploited this natural resource without any consideration. The Tihange Nuclear is located in the bank of the Meuse river between Namur and Liege (Haverkamp, 2015). It contains three reactors of seven that were built in Belgium in the 70th: In the recent past, exactly in July 2012 as it is described in “Different strokes by different folks” of Nils Disco and Alex van Heezik, Belgium announced a nuclear leakage into the Meuse River that polluted the water entering the Netherlands as well. The situation was clarified explaining that the leakage was not high enough to be dangerous for human or animals. Although this situation did not go further: This kind of irregularities can be followed in the different newspapers of The Netherlands where some leakages and fires were recorded in the last 4 years, reasons why there are some concerns about the quality of the water and soil some kilometres around powers stations.

The second issue that enlighten even more the water fragility and its problematic is the pharmaceutical waste into the water bodies. It is an

POLLUTION

MAIN CAUSES OF POLLUTION

Ships

+

Medicine Source: Environmental History of the Rhine-Meuse Delta Zinc and lead mining Coal Mining Tihange Nuclear power plant Non Ferrous metallurgical Industry DSM- Chemelot Chemical Industry Ore storage and transshipment site

Tihange Nuclear Power station

Chemical production

Town / City

Figure 4.19 Cause of Pollution South Netherlands and Belgium

issue only recently studied. As the STOWA (Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer- Foundation for Applied Water Research) report clarifies only the 65 % of the pharmaceutical waste is treated in wastewater plants. The rest is released to the river and in some cases it impacts the normal reproduction of fishes.

The last issue is the spatial impact of the Chemical zone of Limburg (Chemelot), the previous core of the Maurits Coal Mines. Cheme¬¬lot is an industrial complex with more than 50 companies. The Pollution has been accumulated for decades. Soil

and water from the surroundings transports many substances that by accident or lack of awareness were deposited in the ground or liberated to the watercourses. Nobody can guarantee that neither the pipes are not leaking nor the treatment plant is cleaning 100 % of the treated water. The same applies for power plants, accident, fires and leakages are constant complains that are difficult to resolve and have a huge impact in the environment. Currently, some companies are under investigation for ‘not doing enough to prevent accidents and limiting the impact on people and the environment’ (DutchNews.nl).

35

POLLUTION REMAINED OF COAL MINES Main industry along the Grensmaas. ( and upstream)

Su lph ur Ni dio tro xid ge e n Hy dio dr xid og e en Hy su dr lph oc ar b vid o e

on ia

Am m

Ca rb

on M

on ox id

e

-Coal mining -Steel production -Extraction lime and grave.

Where the nutrients e

48% Abr

22 % Ag

coal extraction

14 % Ho co k

aw ter

ing

t n a t u pol co p m

ph

en

ol

s

su bi

er

am

36

pr oc ce s

on

ia

ol

ni

og

ciu

m

air pol

on s

e

lutant

emission come from?

road

griculture

ousehold

us

pe

nd

en

so lid lo s xy ge nd m em

gi ca

drinking water pollutant an

d

highly toxic to aquatic animals 37

REMAINS OF CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY INFLUENCE IN THE COMMON MEUSE

38

39

IMPACT ON URBAN AREAS IMPACT ON URBAN AREAS OF RIVER/ WATER SYSTEMS

Flooding NATURAL PROCESSES Drought

Pollution URBAN INTERELATION

PROBLEMS OF THE CANAL

DIAGRAM PROBLEMATIC CANALS SYSTEM

Leakages

Enlargement

Maintenance

Interferences with natural systems

Figure 4.20 Problematic of nature and artificial systems 40

MEASURES TAKEN COOPERATION AND TREATIES BEFORE 2000 1863 The South William’s canal needs water from the Meuse. Supply agree10m3/s.

1975 Attempt to keep high water levels in Belgium .

Never signed.

1995 Treaty between NL-BE for water discharge.

Europe Framework Directive on Water (WFD (2000) Integrate water resource managment. “It is one of the first European directives in the domain of water, which explicitly acknowledges the important role of economics in water policy and management” NAMWA Report.

EUROPE

BE Flemish Government

BY COUNTRY

Integraal Waterbeleid Policy (2003) Different levels of government: Flooding / Water quality

NL Rijkwaterstaat ( Department of Public works Managment of big routes.

Main rivers and Canals.

Scheepvaart:

Maaswerken 52 Projects along the Meuse River Improve navigability -Reduce Flooding

Navigable Water.

DRINKING WATER

Drinking Water Limburg: Watergroup ( before VMW_ Vlaamse Matschappij voor watervoorziening)

MEUSE

GrensMaas/ Common Meuse: Grensmaas consortioum. In charge of the works.

The Boertien locations Location in Belgium , Actions paid by The Netherlands but managed by Belgium.

POLICY

Waterlijden Maaschapij Limburg -WML 1/4 from the Meuse. The rest from ground water reservoirs.

Ruimte voor de rivier Room for the river RIZA National Institute for Integrated Water Management and Wastewater Treatment

2013 Gemeenschappelijke Maas Common Meuse_ cooperation between NL- BE

Meuse Basin Secretariat BE

Nederlandse Waterschap de Dommel NL

Figure 4.21 Water Management in the Common Meuse 41

42

5. COMMON MEUSE Figure 5.1 Aerial <Google Earth> Picture Common Meuse between Belgium and The Netherlands

43

PERCEPTIONS

INDUSTRY AND WATER

44

Figure 5.2 Collage. Main elements along the Meuse and the Juliana Canal

Since 1839 the Meuse River set the border between the Limburg region of Belgium and the Netherlands around 45 Km long. This area is special because is the only stretch where the river was not canalized but normalized in order to reduce meanders and make the river more normal for shipping. However that was not enough for the economic growth that impacted the region. The Meuse in the common zone was never sufficiently ready for the pressure of shipping. In consequence, navigable canals were needed to complete the European structure of inner water transport. Two canals surround the Meuse: the South Willemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canal (Zuid Willemsvaart) to the west and the Juliana Canal to the east. The former is more than one century older; it was dredged for the first time in 1822 in the area of Maastricht, current capital of the Dutch Limburg region. The Juliana Canal is also connected to the river in Maastricht but it is even more industrial due to its shipping capacity and new building technics; the Juliana Canal flows parallel to the Meuse 35 Km long until it reaches Maasbracht in the north where finally the canal returns the water back to the natural flow.

45

NATURAL SYSTEM

TOPOGRAPHY AND RIVER CONNECTIONS

N

0

10 Km

Figure 5.3. The Meuse river, Valley. between terraces.

46

MEUSE-TRIBUTARIES-STREAM- CANALS

The river Meuse tends to go to the west . It is easy to recognize the features of the westâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streams, they are abundant and continuos. On the east side the streams are less. They depend on the terraces and slopes that are reconizable in the geomorphological map.

N

0

10 Km

Figure 5.4 Stream net in the Common Meuse 47

SOIL TYPE

Soil type, importance of loess soil ( nutrients) gravel river= interaction with ground water./ historical gravel extraction. clay and sandy loam soil.

Loess or sandy loess soil Meuse Terrace Sediments River Clay Dry Sandy Loam Loamy soil Dry Loam Dry Loam Sandy soil

N

0 5 Km Figure 5.5. Soil Type in the Common Meuse

GEOMORPHOLOGY Geomorphology: Soil and topography are features formed millions of years ago (in the Tertiary Period, around 30 million years ago; the Pleistocene, around two million years ago and the Holocene, around 10.000 years ago). Climate change and tectonic movements are the main reasons for the current topography system. Terraces that frame the border of the riverbed form the landscape in Limburg. Low, middle and high terraces mark out the section of Limburg with elevations from 20 to 120 meter approximately. They are nests of semi flat areas in between that resulted from the erosion caused by water covering the area millions of years ago.

River Valley Low Terrace Between Terraces Plateau Terrace

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0 5 Km Figure 5.6. Terraces and valley 48

RIVER AREA

River Meuse bed :The main tributaries in this area are the Geul and the Jeker . They are connected to a net of small streams.

Topography is the main canvas for the movement and logic of the water. The small rivers are interconnected to reach the main river.

The Juliana canal modified this logic; all streams cross the canals underneath and other as the Ur where canalized.

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0 5 Km Figure 5.7 The meuse river and the water within.

ROOM FOR THE RIVER The project of Common Meuse is framed within the Room for the river guidelines.

Objectives: Control flooding, urban protection, and restoration of ecological

Common Meuse in The Netherlands Common Meuse in Belgium Forest

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0 5 Km Figure 5.8. Common Meuse or Grensmaas project 49

HISTORICAL OBSERVATIONS MEANDERING RIVER

The river changes; erosion, extraction and climate modification are the cause of different shapes and forms along the river.

The river bed change has changed since 6000 b.C. One of the last natural modification was in stokkem between 1750 and 1818 (Beukenkamp, 2003)

N

0

5 Km

Figure 5.9. Historical records of Meuse course.

50

OLD GREEN SYSTEM

The landscape changes when the river changes. There are more prescence of forest. it is easy to find the connection of streams with the river . the Urban area spread along the territory. The graetheide is the story of erased forest. The soil f the area is LOess, this type of soil is very rich for agriculture. For economical reasons there was a complete switch from forest to agriculture.

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0

5 Km

Figure 5.10 Meuse river 1708 Retrieve from: oldmapsonline.org Fricx, Eugene (1708) Carte Particulier des environs de Maestricht.

51

THE GRAETHEIDE, ERASED FOREST

Figure 5.11. Graetheide Forest 1700 Retrieve from: oldmapsonline.org

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Meuse River Green path Ur stream Graetheide erased Forest

5 Km 0 Figure 5.12. old Connections

52

Limit of coalmine belt

Figure 5.13 Graetheide 1773 Retrieve from : graetheidecomite.nl

ARTIFICIAL SYSTEM

THE MEUSE AND THE CANALS - SOUTH WILLIAM’S AND JULIANA CANAL

0 20 Km Figure 5.14 Meuse and South William’s Canal

The history of the South William’s canal started a long time ago. Since the 16th century in Brabant and Limburg there was a need for connection between cities.

The lack of roads pushed the use of water streams for commercial reasons, using for that purpose the small rivers Aa and Domel.

However the Aa stream was canalized in 1623 and it suffered the pressure of time, wars and low budgets. Only until 1803 another attempt to canalize the Aa arose in a map made by Hendrik Verhees that later became an important part of the construction of the South William’s canal.

(Verhagen, 2000). The canal’s construction was not independent from a series of important political, economical and military factors. In this story is Napoleon who planned the east-west connection from the Amsterdam port to the Rhine (within what is now Belgium and The Netherlands). This big connection required a set of canals using the Kampen canals and the Meuse River. The Canal du Nord would be fed by the river and would link the Kampen canals with the Rhine. In the end the North canal was partially build. Its construction stopped due to the financial problems during the war against Russia.

In 19th century, the reasons for this development increased mainly due to the re-shaping of four important countries; The Netherlands, Luxemburg, Belgium Figure 5.15 Bridges along the South WIlliams and France took part in this structure.

The South William’s canal played an important role in the 19th century after the defeat of Napoleon. At that time the King Willem I in his attempt to develop Liege as an important industrial area reinforced previous ideas to build the Zuid Willemsvaart. During the construction the territory was part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands but currently the south section of the canal crosses the Belgian Limburg region.

The South Willliam’s canal is the canal that feeds the North Canal (Canal du Nord) and which was planned to link the Kampen canals with the Rhine River. It takes the water from the Hocht into the Smeermaas from the Meuse. That point was high enough to transport the water by gravitational effect to Lozen, where it is connected with the North Canal and afterwards connected to the north with Helmont and s’-Hertogenbosch.

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Figure 5.16 Meuse and Juliana Canal. Coalmines location 53

RAILWAY AND COALMINES

Figure 5.17. Location of Dutch Staat Mines Retrieve from: Tu Delft archive

Figure 5.18. Dutch Staat Mines Retrieve from: Tu Delft archive

Figure 5.19. Dutch Staat Mines Retrieve from: Tu Delft archive 54

The Juliana Canal is the Dutch canal of the south part of the country in the region of Limburg. It was built between 1925 and 1935 with four locks that were finally reduced to two. The canal is 35 Km long and crosses along eight small cities, some of them sacrificed part of their territory for the construction of the canal. The canals cut many streams in its way to the river. One important example is the Ur stream located in the area of Stein. The old stream was canalized, piped and finally used as the canal to direct the water from the water treatment plant to the Meuse. The main function of the canal is navigability being previously the route that strengthened the transport of coal from the Dutch State Mines (DSM). Neither swimming areas nor ecological areas were considered in the design.

The decision made to build the Juliana canal was Influenced by political disagreements between Belgium and The Netherlands. In 1839 Belgium was officially independent from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands; Belgium was conformed by the Wallonia region and the Flemish that brought new borders to the previous territory. The Meuse River played an important role dividing Limburg in two, the Belgian and the Dutch Limburg.

For that reason the control and use of the South Williamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s canal and the Meuse were a pivotal concern within the economic development of The Netherlands. The Netherlands cannot improve the canal or the river without Belgiumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agreement and Belgium in this regard was not committed to it. Belgium was confortable with the canal capacity of 600 tons and had not interest in canalize the Meuse. On the contrary, Netherlands was growing and demanding a canal for ships of up to 2000 tons(Rouvroye, Schreurs, & Spaan, 1996) During the 19th century the coalmines were the driving force of the economic development in Limburg and the propeller for infrastructure and production. Within this infrastructure the water channels were as important as the roads and the rail system. For that reason, considering the construction of a parallel canal to the Meuse River became the main subject for the government after World War I.

RAILWAY AND JULIANA CANAL

ROADS

A 73

A2

Highways Ports

National roads

Railway

Train

A 76

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Figure 5.20 Railways Juliana canal and port location

0 5 Km Figure 5.21. Interaction roads water and railway

Figure 5.22. Main cities along the canal

Longitudinal Section

The main figures in this story are present in the development of rail train lines, coalmines and the completion of the internal waterways network. The construction of the Juliana canal was a long term saving compared to previous planes to canalize the Meuse due to on the one hand the Juliana Canal needed two locks less than the Meuse canalisation, while the distance was 10 kilometres less than the construction of the canal, and on the other hand the technic used would be better than only transforming partially the river(Rouvroye, Schreurs, & Spaan, 1996).

- The railway played an important role connecting the Coalmines with the Port. The railway is the only transversal line that crosses Limburg.

-The main infrastructure consists in a national road from north to south. It is parallel to the railway. Only one highway connects The Netherlands with Belgium.

-The Canal Juliana uses the inclination of the territory to move the water. The Water comes into Maastricht using the Limmel lock and it finishes in Maasbracht in the Born lock.

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INDUSTRIAL AREAS- PORT

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0 5 Km Figure 5.23 Industriy

The railway draw the path of the location of industry point. the most important is related with the development of the Coal mines that nowadays is a Chemical central complex (Chemelot).

Juliana canal is 35 Km long and include 3 ports. Beatrix port in Maastricht, Stein port and Born Port.

Stein port was the second most importa inland port in Europe.

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CITIES ALONG THE WATER SYSTEM Ophoven Maaseik

Maabracht

Echt Dilsen Born

Stokkem

2

1.

Susteren

Sittard

Urmond Stein

Maamechelen

Geleen

3 Elsloo

Oude Bunders 4 Lanaken 5

Bunde

6

Mastricht 7

N Figure 5.27 Aerial Pictures. Ports and industrial

Figure 5.26. Cities in the Comon Meuse 0

5 Km

Belgium

The Netherlands

Cities Local Bridges See sections in pag. 60 and 62

The Netherlands and Belgium are dense countries. The urban tissue of the Belgium side is spread on the territory while Dutch Figure 5.28.Perception of relation cities-river side is more compact.

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CONNECTING GREEN

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0 5 Km Figure 5.29 Extend the existing gree to enhance the new green 58

JULIANA CANAL A NEW PLACE FOR WATER

Figure 5.26. Limmel lock

The Juliana Canal was built starting from the ends. Later on the construction it would meet in the area of Stein. A considerable area of the Juliana Canal lies in risky sink areas due to the works of mines. The canal was built with materials from the area; clay and loam in consequence many leakages happened from its construction; the first and most dramatic is the leakage after the filling of the canal. The alteration of the water system with the construction of the Juliana Canal was assumed in a large proportion for the Ur stream. With the filling of the canals for first time the Ur receive the soil water saturation and finally the Ur flooded.

Currently the canal is being widened. The Meuse Route (Maasroute) project frames the new requirements for the canal. The purpose is to improve the economical connection of The Netherlands with the industrial area of Belgium, France and Germany. The request is for ships 190 mt long, 11,4 meter wide and 3,5m depth. (Rijkswaterstaat). Seven different profiles are the base of the transformation of the Juliana Canal. These profiles depend on the place where the soil will be extracted, as well as on the dikes and the summer bed. No clear ecological considerations have been taking into account. Nevertheless the document “Reference Source Document for Water body Juliana Canal” (Brondocument Waterlichaam Julianakanaal) studies and reveals the quality of the water but it lacks the interconnection of the water with ecological enhancement. However, the canal’s widening has other environmental advantages due to the future decrease of trucks on the A2 and A73 routes.

The Juliana canal takes the water in Maastricht and the water is put back again in Maaseik. Only the industrial area is extracting water from the canal. Apparently there is not discharge of water into the canal. Any discharge from the urban or industrial area is treated first in the Water treatment plant and then into a stream that discharges the water into the Meuse. Yet, the 35 Kms of the canal are not generating positive changes in the creation of natural areas or in the improvement of the water quality.

The Main problems of the Juliana Canal are leakages and the constant pressure to grow. When the canal grows all its bed changes and the borders need to be replaced again. Material and technics are used to improve the seals function.

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SECTIONS

TRANSVERSAL CONNECTIONS

60

10 Km

61

SECTIONS

TRANSVERSAL CONNECTIONS

The canals interact with urbanized territory and industry.

The natural connections are poor. The Kampen zone from Belgium is an important natural border to the west of the river valley.

Meanwhile the Dutch has a border much more industrial and dense.

Agriculture and grass are open spaces that fill the gaps between cities and industrial zones.

Dense green areas like forest are almost erased from the section view.

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Water Agriculture use

Cities Industry Roads Flooding areas Strong relation water- surroundings 63

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6. GUIDELINES & CONSIDERATIONS Figure 6.1. Returning to Green 65

CONSIDERATION FROM REGION PERSPECTIVE FUTURE PERSPECTIVE

66

CONNECTION WITH AN ERASED FOREST

Green resilience Green connectors Historical erased green Crossing points infrastruture - green

After the analysis of the interaction between the river, the canal and the territory I propose some general guidelines to rethink a territory where water is the core element of the landscape. As a first measure, I would recommend to change the borders of the Juliana canal to allow the reduction of water speed and increase water oxygenation. These new borders mean a change of the land use along the canal regulating farm and agricultural uses on the borders and strengthening the formation of forests.

An additional guideline on this new shape of the borders is to consider the leakage.

So the canal functions in a fashion similar to the natural flow of the river, i.e. allowing floods, wetland and paths of water; and the water—soil—nature nexus can be reinstated on the surroundings of the canal. Changes in the topography for water retention and soil treatment will play also an important role. Another essential element will be the green connector that will help to the resilience of a green area (“the Graetheide”) to create a new green neck for South Limburg. This green neck will fulfil a function of cleaner and refresher of the water that afterwards will be fed back into the river.

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Figure 6.2. Regional Vision - Green enhancement

5 Km 0 Figure 6.3. Crossing green- Weaving the fragmented territory

The injection of water into the soil will improve its water retention and consequently generate natural areas, improving in turn water and soil quality.

In this sense, the canal keeps its navigation purpose while strengthens the water-soil—nature nexus and the improvement of the water quality and the empowerment of the forest by means of soil-water interaction.

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PARADOX- CONSIDER THE NATURE OF WATER

Figure 6.4. The paradox managing water.

-River and canal have been working against their respective natures. The natural river that tends to move horizontally has been embanked and controlled. On the contrary, the canal that is completely isolated from the natural logics are pushed to expand, something that generate many works.

Figure 6.5.Water and soil - water isolated.

-The forest is part of the water system; it is the result of the interaction between soil and water. In the canal, water is completely wasted in that its capacity to improve the soil and forest is fully unexploited.

Figure 6.6. Diagram of a current river canal relationship

- River is mainly helping with the restructuration of natural systems. Canals are connected to the industry but do not provide anything to the surroundings in terms of natural enhancement.

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NATURALISATION- DISSEMINATION OF NATURE

re alo pr ese ng n t a t he tio r i v e n of na t r

ur e

d is

se m

ina

tio

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LOGIC OF NATURE EXPAND DISSEMINATE

CONNECT TRIGGER DISSEMINATE

Natural Meuse Canal as a containers Proximity river canals

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As Rhoads suggests, it should consider morphological and ecological configurations that frame the intervention taking into account the logic operation of current water rates. In this regard my proposal only contemplates a broad scale of the possible interactions of those configurations; yet it does not have the option to confirm validity of the interaction created. Following the logic of river changes, I imagine a canal with the opportunity to change and move; a canal where water is naturally balanced by the environment and where water balances and improves the quality of the soil and plants instead of being water isolated from the territory where any interaction is missed. It is important for the naturalisation process to work in multi-scale perspectives. Hence, the canal is contemplated as a complete piece but should be built by local projects.

re po pr ese d is s s ib l e nt a t se m n ion i n a a t u r of tio e g n . r ad u

Naturalisation based on the concepts framed by the geographer Bruce Rhoads is an alternative to restoration and rehabilitation.

It defines a viable management goal for watersheds situated in landscapes characterized by intensive human modification of the biophysical environment. The goal of naturalisation is to establish sustainable, morphologically and hydraulically varied, yet dynamically stable fluvial systems that are capable of supporting healthy, biologically diverse aquatic ecosystems (Rhoads, Wilson, Urban, & Herricks, 1999). Thus, naturalisation embraces the idea that human intervention in biophysical systems may be part of the current ‘‘natural’’ dynamics of this system. Naturalisation is considered here as the conversion of the operation of large structures made by human beings to the less aggressive and more ecological process that builds a sustainable environment.

al

0 10 Km Figure 6.7. Interpretative Diagram Protected zone between canals

Figure 6.8. Representation of River and nature repetition Figure 6.9 Representation of posible nature dissemination based on water course.

I consider that the Juliana canal has the potential as a waterbed to triggered natural processes that benefit water and soil quality of a landscape highly stressed by human activities. Using the water of the Juliana canal does not reactivate or regenerate the territory but a complete new landscape would be created with water extending and amplifying natural systems. If we push for the encounter between water and soil in a sustainable way it is then a way of naturalise the landscape.

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LEAKAGE OR FLOODING

Figure 6.10. Water is looking for the nature. Water is abosorbed.

We need to take advantage of the leakages of the canal. When the leakage appears the transformation can begin. This leakage can guide and enhance new water paths; how the water is going to move and how it can be used in the generation of strong forest lines that interconnect existent forests with new green areas.

The leakage is also the foundation to open areas and create shallow zones that conform ecological habitats.

The design guidelines are the result of the interplay of two different scales. First, the Juliana canal guidelines that mainly aim at distributing the water in and out from the canal to the territory.

The main goal is to reshape the canal and generate shallow zones to increase ecological habitats, create green paths to improve soil quality. The transformation in the section of the canal is essential.

Terraces, shallow zones and wetlands will redistribute the flow of the water. Another element in this scale are the natural bridges that located along the canal will help the spreading and amplification of species and natural systems from the river Meuse and even further from the Kampen Park in Belgium.

The second scale is the Municipal, here the strategy concerns the transformation of green areas. I highlight the Graetheide area (erased forest) as an important player in the conformation of 70

the active territory for water improvements. The disappeared forest reshapes from the remains of forest that currently look like small paths of dense green within perfect squares in the logic of an agriculture territory. The main objective was to have the most natural process for the water treatment as an extra reinforcement of wastewater treatment plants, and storm water management local systems.

It is impossible to detach one scale from the other. For this reason, the imaginary Graetheide forest plays an important role in the formation of the general framework of possible designs.

The Graetheide becomes the core of the proposal given that the creation of a forest based on a new efficient interconnection with water would complete the ideal of balance, protection and sustainability.

NEEDS OF FLOODING Why is it that despite waters everywhere precipitating, seeping, soaking air, soil and vegetation, colleting in interstices, pores, terraces, cisterns, and aquifers, evaporating, transpiring, and sublimating, we see water somewhere, confined within or behind linesâ&#x20AC;Ś ?

Mathur and Da Cunha.

Figure 6.11. Meuse overflowing in Kotem source: grensmaas.nl 71

RETHINKING WITHOUT LINES

OLD MEUSE

MEUSE 1410

MEUSE 1651

MEUSE 1673

N 0 5km Figure 6 12. Interpretation of Meuse movements

The river seems to breathe and changes its paths. Water is in charge of that and it has a very easy logic gravity and osmosis. Depending on the inclination and soil features it find paths. That is why I imagine how can the water moves if you open its borders, how can she goes and flows? And how this movement help to build a wealthy and prosperous territory directed to a real natural improvement.

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HISTORICAL CHANGES NEW ACTIONS

Current river Canal Cities Common Meuse

MEUSE 1810

MEUSE AFTER 1940

THE RIVER MEUSE BREATHING

CHANGEABLE RIVER

One of the lessons that the nature gives us is that all she does is unstoppable and irrepressible. That is why the idea of giving room of the river is only a way to make a step back in the desire of controlling her. The nature is judged by our urban perceptions and of course urban developments changed the way we interact with the nature.

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ERASING LINES

THE WATER IS EVERYWHERE- INTERPRETATION.

Common Meuse River historical extension Canals

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10 Km 0 Figure 6.13. The River and the Territory

Observing the river allows a new perception of water The territory needs a transformation where green areas and a dense forest enhance the soil and the water qualities. If we follow the same logic of the river we can find the base of the design. Breaking the borders and giving water some freedom, in this way forest and soil will change the profile of the Limburg area. Switching from an agricultural and chemistry zone to a natural neck that purified the whole territory and improve the quality of the water.

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MAKING A BIG RIVER

Meuse River Canal within water -soil logic Streams

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0

10 Km Figure 6.14 Juliana canal as a River.

What if we imagine the water that today is a line like water going everywhere?

Creation of hybrid zones Rethink the nature with the territory.

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LANSCAPE CONSIDERATION FROM LOCAL PERSPECTIVE STEIN - LIMBURG

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Figure 6.15 Aerial view Stein - Limburg 79

RESCUE INVISIBLE LAYERS Stein is a village in the centre of Limburg with 11.000 inhabitants approximately. It is located in the east side of the Juliana canal.

Another important element is the A2 high way that connects the Netherlands with Wallonia and Luxembourg. The railway (from the 19 century) is the only strong infrastructure that crosses Limburg in a transversal way, allowing the Juliana canal to be connected with the rest of the territory. Stein is a small territory pressed by significant economical and industrial tensions due to the importance of this specific area in the coal mines or Dutch State Mines [DSM]. Stein is a landscape historically fragmented and isolated from the rest of the country and currently due to the pressure caused by the Chemical sector (previous DSM).

GRAETHEIDE FOREST STEIN

Stein is not clearly reported in the history before 13th century but the territory is well known because of its geographic development. Stein was part of the Graetheide [GH] forest. It was a former forest that was protected by King Zwentibold in the 1th century. After his diseases the forest took part of 14 villas of the surrounds (Barends, 1987).

Figure 6.16. Vanishing of Graetheide Forest 5 Km

0

GRAETHEIDE FOREST

The pressure on the territory started from that moment due to the production system transformations that converted consequently the landscape. The soil underneath is the oldest soil of the Netherlands [lรถssbodem]; Loess soil is a type of soil not as fine as clay, but smaller than sandy soil. Loess contains a high proportion of quartz as well as clay minerals. Loess particles are, in fact, the erosion products of sedimentary and igneous rocks. The Loess soil is a perfect soil for agriculture development. The soil is fairly rich in organic material that makes it very productive. The soil also can retain water very well even in droughts (Van Trikt, J & Ahrens, Hansjorg, n.d.).

Within the region there was developed a production system to switch winter and summer time in the harvest of different types of cereals. Since then, the landscape is built as a carpet of agriculture system where any forest was diminished in the name of production.

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0 5Km Figure 6.17. Rethinking in hidden green connections 80

A modern history of Stein (and all Limburg) depends to a large degree on the development of the Staatsmijnen Maurits the Dutch State Mines and its switch into a DSM Chemistry Industry and currently

RE-BALANCE GREEN AND GRAY in the Chemelot complex a new brand for Limburg called “the chemical innovation community”.

The Staatmijnen Maurits was the fourth Dutch mine opened in 1915 in Lutterade an area in the north part of the Geleen municipality in Limburg. Consequently to the boom of coal production, the country built an infrastructure suitable for the transport of their products. Railways, roads, the Juliana canal and evidently the port were part of a network of elements that responded to an economical claim of production increases. In 1958 the Maurits Mine became the largest mine in The Netherlands and the second one in the world but just 10 years after, in 1967, it was finally closed and amenities demolished (TuDelft, n.d.); however the footprint in the landscape as industry development was strong enough to define future influences in the region.

STEIN GRAETHEIDE FOREST

1200

In the meanwhile during the 60s, Graetheide was just a small portion of lands divided between different municipalities. They use the lands mainly for agriculture and in a low percentage for water extraction (municipalities of Born, Urmond and Sittard). Only Limbritch keep their forests. In the 70s, DSM showed the interest in the Graetheide terrain and it was reserved as potential industrial area (“Graetheide Comite,” n.d.). The company started buying houses, farms and land.

Not without having faced before the local disagree of the Graetheide committee.

N STEIN

COAL MINES 0

100 Km Figure 1XXXX

1950

The three first years of the 80-decade were very hectic for DSM for pollution issues. In 1982 The Graetheide Committee report [onderzoek kwaliteit groundwater ten westen en noord westen van Geleen] informed about pollution caused by DSM. The industry damaged the ground water with radioactive waste that slowly moved to the Meuse River. In 1983, DSM refused to provide any information about the chemical production and waste treatment.

Consequently they were investigated for illegal deposit of waste in inner ponds.

However, DSM is still the owner of the lands in Graetheide and it is trying to develop another type of industry in this area.

CHEMELOT

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2016 0 2 Km Figure 6.18 Transformation Forest to Chemical Industry 81

PORTS TURN GREEN From my viewpoint, it would seem that this land was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;reservedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the wait for the right moment to be used; this moment is usually when neither authorities nor the general public is concerned. Probably is the local empowerment that has contained the worst consequences but the province is one of the stronger promoters of the DSM cause.

In 2011 the province gave the rights to DSM to develop the area of Graetheide Lexhy until 2026. In 2014 the province requested a structural plan for the Chemelot surrounding area. In 2015 Chemelot proposed the development of the Lexhy area and Graetheide for later.

The forest was also a centre of water retention thanks to the soil features but little by little the forests disappeared and a small village appeared as the only area that remained where the forest was.

The DSM industry and Chemelot has taken an important role in this game. In 1977 the Graetheide remaining forest was part of the extension land for DSM. After the closing of the coalmines, the Dutch State Mines became the head of the bulk chemical production and plastic processing in The Netherlands.

Figure 6.19. Stein Port 1930 Retrieve from Beeldbank Rijkswaterstaat.

BORN PORT

INDUSTRY AREA STEIN PORT

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0 5 Km Figure 6.20. Industry and relation with the territory.

Figure 6.21 Chemelot use of water .

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The state investment was based on an optimistic assumption without considering the international growing of the industry.

Within a matter of 20 years DSM closed.

We can also say in an optimistic language that it evolved in a complex of chemical research with many partners. DSM was completely privatized at the end of the 80s. The ecological impact of the DSM industry probably cannot be measured.

DSM produced 70.000 tons of chemical waste, part of it was burned and other part was disposed in landfills inside the complex (Kohlen, 1984).

FLOODING AREAS THINKING IN A NEW CANAL SHAPE

STRENGTHENING DYKES BUT NOT SPATIAL CONDITIONS

WIDENING

THINKING ALONG THE BORDER

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ONE BIG RIVER

GREEN AND NON URBANIZED

INTERTWINED

0 5 Km Figure 6.22 Local guidelines 83

GUIDELINES FROM LOCAL TO REGIONAL

Figure 6.23 Local strategy

New Urban interaction

Uncertain flooding. I create an image of how the border of the canal can change if we think in theseÂŹ areas as future flooding area. In this way the border starts to change. These zones can remain wet or semi wet and in this regard can start a dialogue with the environment.

the new Graetheide forest balancing the negative impacts of the industry in the area.

The small areas of forest will be the second layer shaping the spine of the growth of green, with the intention to spread easily trees and biodiversity.

Eternal enlargement: The canal follows the logic of the commerce and transportation. The economy requires more and more space for moving goods, ships become bigger and the space required is larger. However, there will be a point where the canal does not fulfil the demands of the economy and then it will be needed another solution.

Connectors: existence bridges will be important areas of green connection to make easier the natural impact of the Meuse River and even from further like the Kampen Park in Belgium.

Glorious Dykes: The dykes have been the big army against water but at the same time have become ecological paths that frame the water territory in a green mantle. Nonetheless, spatially speaking they are not as important as they can be and, on the contrary, the dykes have been the walls that cut and fragment the landscape and that have changed the way in which the territory is perceived.

Hierarchy of forest: There is scarcity of forest. The green aggrupation are part of tiny patches of green that remain from the old forest. Additionally, there are long structures of trees that are normally located to hide industry or infrastructure, or to improve structures like dykes and urban green paths. There is not a really convincing structure of forest that absorbs the impact of industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clusters, commerce and chemistry, as it is the case in Zuid Limburg.

Taking advantage of the history of the soil in Graetheide I suggest a reconnection with the ancient function of the land to re build

84

Micro topographies. The topographical leanings are probably not too steep, but enough to make water runs. In the map is showed how small pockets exist drawn by the mounds. However this important texture of the territory had been erased thanks to the agricultural use. I propose to use these pockets to create new water areas where the water can be retained, moved and cleaned.

INTERACTION

Figure 6.24 Canal’s water and soil interaction

From the observation of different scales the analysis in a limited area helps to frame guidelines for a general view of the territory.

The region has important players that has been highlighted in the punctual observations, namely, Graetheide forest and Chemelot complex. As a result, I propose a group of guidelines with the main intention of creating more interaction areas between water and territory, understanding territory as the area that is impacted by the canal, taking into account soil, land use and historical forest remaining.

A new canal’s shape is the first consideration for a new interplay of water and territory. Imagine a future of flood where the canal has the space to cope the overload of water in the river and in the rest of the region. The change of the border controls the velocity of the water and use the hit of this with the border to oxygenate the water and create places for animals and plants.

The water is probably not severely polluted but it needs to be in contact with the soil and nature to maintain good quality standards; for that reason is important to change materials of the banks and generate parallel areas to the canal with a consecution of wetlands that allow the water to create areas for animals, new vegetation and soil water retention. In this regard the section of the canal should be transformed in a gradient line that connect from deep to shallow the water with the soil.

In relation with water quality, it is important to consider the impact of the industrial zone. The biggest industrial complex has usually their own wastewater plant (like Chemelot) but private companies control them. The water is normally placed again into the streams

or directly into the River. However, it is not a 100% process; for this reason I propose to establish extra natural treatment areas around their area of influence to control water quality and ensure to communities around that the process is properly executed. Natural treatment systems are treatment technologies for purification of many types of wastewater (Rozkošný et al., 2014). Given that the water that comes along the canals is partially tested and its quality partially controlled, the design strategy gives an emphasis to the improvement of the water quality by means of natural treatments.

This will help to control and improve the quality of the water, to enhance the growing of forest and to implement ways to manage water from local and regional perspectives.

Due to the topographic features in some point the water of the Juliana Canal and the Meuse River will meet creating hybrid zones.

These zones can be used as laboratory zones where research and observation can take part of the naturalisation process.

The streams should be rethought in the relation with the water.

I consider experimentation an important element to connect the canal to the natural stream and to create a large green mouth along the border that can be used as fishing and recreational zones.

However, if this connection is not done it is important to maintain and enhance the green relation. The streams have an important and historical forest structure which can facilitate the formation of a green structure along the canal.

Finally, an important consideration is to reduce the agriculture land on the border of the canal swapping from agriculture to forest.

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GUIDELINES

RETHINKING THE ARTIFICIAL WATER LINES WET AND DRY

Industry

Built areas

Urban Areas

First impacted zone

National Roads

Second impacted zone

Regional Roads

Direction of water

Railways

N

Dry protection

Figure 6.25. What is protected from water

Figure 6.26.Strong Protection

0

5 Km Figure 6.27. Urbanized Territory range of the inervention

How to naturalize the Juliana canal:

Consider the places where cannot be floods. Infrastructure is an important barrier that defines how we can interact.

The urbanized territory is another important barrier that defines the area of possible expansion for floods.

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TOPOGRAPHY AND OPEN ZONES

Constantly wet Terraces Impacted areas I Impacted area II

N

0

5 Km

Figure 6.28. First Stage of reshaping

Topography frames the movement of the water. It marks another layer of wetness 88

Figure 6.29. Constantly open and terraces

Shape always wet - Shape partially wet.

SWITCH IN LANDUSE PATTERN - REDRAW THE MISSING FOREST ENHANCEMENT OF STREAMSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; NATURE.

Constantly wet From agriculture to Forest Impacted / Partially wet Enhancement forest

N

0 Figure 6.30 Landuse change

Figure 6.31 New shape

Switch of land uses from agriculture to semi wet areas. This area can be used for the creation of areas laboratories. Where a chain of wetlands allow the water treatment. Re activation of ancient green structures (Graetheide forest)

5 Km

Figure 6.32 Interaction with natural streams

Streams reactivation and enhancement of green structure.

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A BIG RIVER

A

This first group of consideration helps to build a new view for the canal: The canal is not indifferent to others natural systems anymore.

The new canal seems to give great importance to the territory.

Hybrids zones are considered. Give the option of river and canal to work together.

B

Streams Current Canal Common Meuse Proposal Canal Shape Existence Green Structure Lineal Forest

N

Forest in Streams Bridge Forest

0 5 Km Figure 6.33. Canal intertwined 90

ENHANCEMENT SOIL -FOREST

CREATE A DENSE GREEN STRUCTURE LINEAL - ACCOMPANYING STREAMS- AND GREEN BRIDGES

Figure 6.34 Forest to guide and protect water

Figure 6.35 Forest to enhance streams

Figure 6.36 Forest to create bridges

0

N

5 Km 91

CORE LINEAL FOREST

COMPLETE GREEN STRUCTURE

Current Canal Existence Green Structure Future Forest Core Green structure

N

0 5 Km Figure 6.37 Core of the Graetheide Forestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rebirth 92

Figure 6.38 Forest structure

COMPLEX NATURAL-ARTIFICIAL SYSTEM The Green Infrastructure is the second consideration for the naturalisation of the Juliana canal.

Within the forest armour should be taken into account the soil improvement, a loess soil has enough organic material to retain water and consequently generate green.

Forest to be forest should be remain on time, that is why it is so important to create a dense line of trees that represent the connection between forests.

Another forest line is the semi dense forest that coupling with the water helps to build partial borders.

It is important to change the way we understand water. That can help to rethink our world in a coherent way with nature that means with ourselfs.

N

0

5 Km Figure 6.39. Make it complex

60m

water interaction

50 40 30

0 Km

0.25 Km

0.5 Km

0.75 Km

Figure 6.40. Territoria section hybrid zone

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FROM A FRAGMENTED TERRITORY TO A CHANGEABLE AND HYBRID TERRITORY COMPLETE GREEN STRUCTURE

Sections helps to reveal the interaction between water, soil and forest. It makes more dramatic the appearance of new elemenst as forest or water.

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Figure 6.41.Current situation

Figure 6.42. From deep to shallow

Figure 6.43.Enhancement of Forest estructure

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FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

The main lesson learned from the observation and control of rivers is that water should not be confined. Experts in The Netherlands have exemplified it in Room for the River that widened the area where the river flows. However, they are not changing the river.

They are changing a place, a region, a relationship with water; they are expressing in this plan a cultural change and enabling a reconnection of natural logics. Why not use this logic wherever the water crosses? Water, however, is confined in the Juliana Canal no more than 1 km east to the Meuse River. The main concern is for the radical way water is treated there. The canal and the importance of the water the canal transports are seemingly ignored. Water is abducted and the territory is neither enriched nor nourished, as it would be.

Limburg territory has been transformed since the switch from forest into agrarian landscape; then the gravel extraction and later the extreme pressure caused by coalmining. Recently the territory has been altered for the development of a dense urban and industrial tissue. The visible and invisible impacts of historical changes and current developments should be considered, namely, pollution, erosion, and production, among others. It is urgent to think in the protection and balance of the Limburg territory and enhance a green infrastructure that contains the industry and protects the urban areas. Limburg has the elements to set the example of a transformation based on the connection water â&#x20AC;&#x201C; soil â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nature. For example the Graetheide erased forest is an historical layer that is directly connected with the soil features.

This characteristics have not been erased are still present giving to the landscape the potential to reborn. The Graetheide would be an important node where Limburg can improve its territory and balance any negative impact of industry and commerce.

The Juliana canal released the Common Meuse area of the Meuse River from its hard navigability functions. This functional interaction allowed the resilience of ecosystems and natural features along the Common Meuse. This interaction is probably the most notorious

between the Juliana canal and the river Meuse. It reveals the impact of human activities on natural environment but overall on the capacity of humans to find alternative ways to protect natural systems without compromising economic structures and functionings.

The canals have become a water wall protection for the Meuse River from the impact of urban and industrial activities. This Spatial interaction gives certain order to the territory bringing the industry along the canals and not along the river. It allows the natural development of the natural river Meuse along the stretch of the Common Meuse. It also reveals how the canal was designed by planners, engineers and probably policy-makers but it lacks in a strong position of other disciplines that are looking for the protection and improvement of natural environments.

There is an amount of water that is temporally taken apart of its natural course. This water misses the opportunity to contact natural environment. When the water of the canal is put back into the river it meets with the water that has been oxygenated and enriched by soil and natural interaction along the Common Meuse. It is important to build areas where the water can move. For that reason I propose to create zones to give more ROOM FOR WATER. I propose to make water the centre of spatial planning and urbanism (water urbanism). Thinking about a territory that works for the water.

The Juliana Canal is constantly pressured by economic needs. It should be rethought how we could diminish the impact at the local scale. There was not strong consideration about shipping and its impact in the documents revised. I believe it is important to think about the impact of the shipping system and the economy pressures specifically in the Juliana Canal.

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PIEDAD HOYOS GARCÍA

RETHINKING THE WATER SYSTEM OF ARTIFICIAL CANALS WITHIN THE TERRITORY

RETHINKING THE WATER SYSTEM OF ARTIFICIAL CANALS WITHIN THE TERRITORY. A Natural Alteration of the Juliana Canal in the Netherlands.

Piedad Hoyos Garcia Master of Science of Urbanism and Strategic Planning

KU LEUVEN -Faculty of Enginnering Department of Architecture