Facing Water Challenges in the Netherlands: A WWDR3 Case Study
From WaterWiki.net
- Synopsis
Adapting to the reality of climate change and increased risk from floods has meant overturning centuries of reliance on big engineering solutions, returning land to nature and integrating risk management into policies based on stakeholder participation.
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Background and Significance
The Experience: Challenges and Solutions
- Floods
Floods have always been a major threat in the Netherlands. They can come from storm surges from the sea, high river discharges after heavy rain or snow-melt upstream, or intense local rainfall. One of the worst floods in Dutch history took place in 1953. A combination of a high tide and a severe windstorm overwhelmed the sea defence structures on the North Sea coast. The extensive flooding caused major socio-economic losses. More recently, flooding on the Rhine and Meuse rivers in 1993 and 1995 caused hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate homes in low lying areas. Similarly, excessive rainfall in 1998, 2001 and 2002 caused problems in certain areas. These events served as a warning that future floods could have even more disastrous results due to their increasing frequency, magnitude and intensity combined with the very dense land use and population behind the embankments. Such considerations led the government to take a new approach and make spatial planning an integral part of water management. One significant result was a programme to make more ‘room for the river’. In this context, a set of measures was adopted, including deepening the flood plains, moving dikes further from the river, lowering groynes and enlarging river beds. The aim is to create a ‘comfort zone’ for the river. Unfortunately, ever-increasing urbanization and likely climatic changes mean these measures by themselves will not fully address the problem.
Consequently, the Netherlands has also made
substantial investments in real-time monitoring,
scenario development, flood forecasting and data
collection to increase preparedness and provide early
warning. In addition, innovative and comprehensive
risk management policies and strategies are being
based on the key principles of resistance, resilience
and adaptation. This approach, unlike previous
practices, considers reinforcing dikes to be a viable
option only when other measures are judged too
expensive or inadequate.
To limit economic losses associated with floods, a riskbased
cost-benefit analysis method is being developed
to identify the most cost-effective measures. These
include accepting a higher frequency of inundation or
controlled inundation in certain areas, or even change
in land use. The risk-based approach supports local
decision-making while allowing for future spatial
planning on a larger scale.
In addition to its national plans and legislation, as a
European Union member the Netherlands is meeting its
obligations under the Flood Directive and the overall European Union Water Framework Directive.
- Expanding and Maintaining the Water Infrastructure
For centuries the Dutch have invested in building structures to mitigate extreme events and regulate water levels and supply in accordance with each sector’s needs. Such structures are as expensive to maintain as to construct.
Although the country has these complex structures in
place and keeps up with the cost of maintaining and
expanding them, it is increasingly clear that complete
safety and security can never be guaranteed. Faced with
this reality, the government is implementing measures and strategies based on the principles of resistance,
resilience and adaptation.
In summary, throughout the centuries, the Netherlands has defended
itself against water-related threats through structural
solutions that made it possible to live and work below
sea level. However, the impact of climate change on
national security, the economy, livelihoods and the
environment is weakening the country’s resilience
against the increasing intensity of extreme events and
calls for new responses. Rising sea level, land subsidence,
more pronounced variation between wet and dry
seasons, an increase in river levels due to intense rainfall,
and increasing water demand during warmer summers
are just some of the challenges requiring appropriate
adaptation strategies. Acting on the advice of the Delta
Committee, authorities are already taking measures
relying on a mix of spatial planning, risk analysis and
technical innovation. Stakeholder consultation and
public participation remain the core of any solution.
Results and Impact
Lessons for Replication
Testimonies and Stakeholder Perceptions
References
See also
Netherlands Water Partnership. 2006. Water in the Netherlands 2004–2005 and Riool in Cijfers [Sewerage Statistics] 2005–2006. Waterland Water Information Network. www.waterland.net (Accessed December 2008.)
Unie van Waterschappen. Forthcoming. Netherlands Case Study Report:
Climate Change and Dutch Water Management. The Hague, Unie van
Waterschappen (Association of Water Boards).
Van den Hurk, B., Klein-Tank, A. et al.. 2006. KNMI Climate Change Scenarios
2006 for the Netherlands. De Bilt, Netherlands, Royal Netherlands
Meteorological Institute. (Scientific Report WR-2006-01.)
External Resources
The United Nations World Water Development Report 3
