Presentation at the National Institute for Coastal and Harbor Infrastructure, Business Summit, May 7, 2014; New York Academy of Sciences.

1. How the Dutch Keep Their Feet
Dry (and not move to Germany)
Adaptation, Risk Mitigation &
National Will
Arjan Braamskamp
Senior Economic Officer
Netherlands Consulate General in NY
3-7-2014

2. 2
The Netherlands: a delta landscape, penetrated by
rivers, subject to sea and river flooding

3. Deltacommissaris
3
The Netherlands, at risk
• 400 miles of rivers (Rhine, Meuse)
draining NW Europe
• 60% of land at/below sea level
• 17 million people, 9 million of which live
below flood level
• GDP 600 bln euro (70% of which
produced at/below sea-level)
• 2100 miles of flood defences, hundreds
of locks, sluices, pumping stations
• storm surge, wet weather, heavy river
discharge, subsiding, drought
• changing climate. SLR: 1 – 2.5 ft ~2100
• water mgmt is a matter of national
survival and an opportunity
100 km
AH
R

4. Deltacommissaris
Area potentially flooded at water level 6.0 m below MSL

5. Deltacommissaris
Area potentially flooded at water level 4.0 m below MSL

6. Deltacommissaris
Area potentially flooded at water level 2.0 m below MSL

7. Deltacommissaris
Area potentially flooded at water level 0.0 m below MSL

8. Deltacommissaris
Area potentially flooded at water level 0.5 m above MSL

9. Deltacommissaris
Area potentially flooded at water level 1.0 m above MSL

10. 3-7-2014
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11. Deltacommissaris
Focus of past mitigation: shorten the coastline
11
300  45 km
750  50 km

12. 12
1958 flood risk/safety standards established
“Never Again” mentality
Risk = Consequences x Probability = areas
with most risk have highest levels of
protection
Cost-Benefit Analysis for all major infra
projects (models recently updated given 40
rys of demographic and econ changes)
Caveat for US: Weather and landscape
differences
• Slow-moving winter storms vs fast-
moving tropical storms (wetter)
• Max storm wind speeds different
• Rainfall manageable
• Small- to- mid-sized rivers
1/10,000 = 1/500?

13. Deltacommissaris
There…all done…….
Now we’re safe!
133-7-2014

14. Subsidence
Mining Gas +
salt
Geological
Peat
oxidation

15. The Delta Under Pressure: future challenges, measured
15
Sealevel rise
(20 cm-->
60-85 cm/100y)
More /extreme
storms?
More/intense
rainfall
Spatial
developments
Increased
erosion
Subsidence
10 cm/100yr
Salt
intrusion
Decreased
river
discharge
- 60%
Increased
river
discharge
+ 10%

16. Deltacommissaris
Present Flood Risk Management policy (2009)
(flood resistance to flood accomodation)
Multi-layered approach:
1. Robust Protection
2. Smart land-use planning
Room for the River
Living with Water: spatial
planning, urban design, multiple
layers of defense and green infra
3. Disaster management
(Katrina effect)

18. Room for the River

19. Depoldering, the plan
3
river MeuseTo the sea
river Merwede
Bottleneck Gorinchem

20. 3-7-2014
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21. waterdynamic
3

22. 3waterdynamic

23. 3waterdynamic

24. 3waterdynamic

25. 3waterdynamic

26. 3waterdynamic

27. Waal River / Nijmegen Project
• River bottleneck, channel restriction from 1500m width to
450 m width
Options:
• Ag / undeveloped land
available to north
• Northern river bank land targeted
for development
• Key road / rail / harbor
infrastructure
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28. Bottleneck

29. 2
1

30. Dike set-back strategy: safety, increased storage /
flow capacity, and new land opportunities
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32. Before / After (impression)
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33. the bad news
public involvement
salomons judgement
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
first scenario’s
fright fight acquiescence building trust pride
Nijmegen takes lead
definite plan
start realization
Stages

34. Rotterdam: 4 threats (or an opportunity?)
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35. URBAN FLOODPLAIN

36. Deltacommissaris
Water Storage Capacity “Rotterdam”

37. UNDERGROUND WATER STORAGE

38. Source: The Urbanists

39. Source: The Urbanists

40. Deltacommissaris
Scheveningen Blvd: improve mandated protection
and urban amenity (2006 safety assessment)
40

41. Bouldevard Scheveningen De Solà - Morales

42. Deltacommissaris

44. Deltacommissaris
Rising seas
• Increasing sea level
• Increasing population and economic value in coastal zones
world wide
IPCC, 2007 National Geographic , Sept
2013
Photo: Stephen Wilkes

45. Deltacommissaris
Building with Nature?
young dune formationyoung dune formation
let nature do part
of the work ...
while creating new
new eco-opportunities

46. Deltacommissaris
Dutch Context, coastal erosion
Shortage of natural sediment
Consequence: Structural erosion, 1996 coastline fixed
Solution: Nourishments
City of Egmond

47. Deltacommissaris
Development of nourishment strategy
Increase in volume
Annual added sand volumes:
• Since 1990: 6 mln m3/yr
• Since 2001: 12 mln m3/yr
Prospect future : 40-85 mln m3/yr !!
Change in design

48. Deltacommissaris
Objectives:
1. Extra Safety
2. Nature area / ‘Quality of living’
3. Innovation
‘Hook’ alternative
70 M Euro.
21 M m3 of sand
The Sand Engine!

49. Deltacommissaris
Predictions morphological behavior
Deltares (Delft3D) numerical model forecast
Initial design

50. Deltacommissaris
Initial
After 3 year
After 5 years
After 10 years
After 20 years
Source: Rijkswaterstaat / Shore Monitoring & Research
MEASURED / PREDICTED
EVOLUTION (DELFT3D)

51. Deltacommissaris
Constructed peninsula

52. Deltacommissaris
Aerial photo Oct. 2011, after 3 mnths

53. Deltacommissaris
Aerial photo Jan. 2012, after 6 mnths

54. Deltacommissaris
Aerial photo July. 2012, after 1 yr

55. Deltacommissaris
Aerial photo July. 2013, after 2 yrs

56. Sand Motor: Pros & Cons
Pros:
1. Reduced costs in nourishment & maintenance
2. Reduced environmental Impact (use natural processes)
3. One-time pricetag @ $ 90 mln
4. Offers recreational and R&D opportunities
Cons:
1. Pilot process
– Unproven Technology long-term
– Difficult to replicate
2. Reduced impact on environment and ecology may be overstated
Stakeholders:
Waterboard Delfland
Rijkswaterstaat
Province South Holland
Van Oord Dredging
Deltares

57. 2nd Delta Commission: 2007/08 (Katrina inspired)
Working together with water: a living land
builds for its future
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58. The Delta Program: safe and productive over 100
years (how to not move to Germany)
Independent Delta Commissioner (and small staff)
2011 – 2014: Research program to identify and quantify challenges
2014: Delta Decisions
2015 – 2020: Develop projects
2020 -2050: 1 billion euro/yr for project implementation
7/3/2014
Delta Programme Commissioner58
Cost-benefit analysis for every
project
Tipping points approach
No-regret measures
Adaptive management

59. Dutch – American Collaborations
• Post-Katrina Louisiana
• Mississippi River Floods (St Louis)
• Los Angeles River
• SLR in San Francisco Bay (early-stage)
• Integrated Delta Management (CA Bay Delta)
• Galveston (Ike Dike)
• SLR Norfolk
• SLR Miami
• Post-Sandy Region (NY-NJ-CT)
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60. Deltacommissaris
New Orleans: Urban Water Plan for a Living Water
System
3-7-2014

61. PILOT PROJECT: Mirabeau
Greater New Orleans Water Management

62. FILMORE DRAINAGE IMPACT
Greater New Orleans Water Management

63. Super-Storm Sandy
They said: “We need Dutch barriers!”
We said: “Wait a minute…”
Rebuild by Design
7/3/2014
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64. Rebuild by Design
• Innovating together to create a resilient region
• Initiative by Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and HUD
• Address regional vulnerabilities and develop fundable solutions
• Promote resilience through innovative planning and design
“Don’t ask for answers to pre-defined challenges –
allow for creative process and for industry expertise
to develop and design multiple solutions that will
maximize resilience in the region and reduce
climate-change related risks.”
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Source: RebuildbyDesign.org

65. Design as tool towards resiliency
• BIG – The Big U around Manhattan
“Cross-breeding public infrastructure with social programs”
• Interboro Team – Regional protection on community level L.I.
“Building with nature: Living with the Bay”
• OMA / HaskoningDHV – Hoboken resilient waterfront
“Resist – delay – Store - Discharge”
• MIT / ZUS & Urbanisten – New Meadowlands
“Combine functions of Economy – Ecology – Transport – Energy”
• Unabridged – A new future of Bridgeport, CT
“Blueprint for coastal community development”
• West 8 / WXY / Arcadis – Blue Dunes
“Restoration of coastal barrier functions”
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66. Picking sides…..
3-7-2014
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67. For more info about:
• The Art of Flood Fighting
• Multiple Layers of Defense
• Regional Approach
• Dutch soccer
• Wooden Shoes, Bikes,
Windmills etc etc
Arjan Braamskamp
Arjan.braamskamp@minbuza.nl
3-7-2014 67
Thank You