The document discusses the Netherlands' approach to water management in response to the risks posed by its geography, including a significant portion of land below sea level. It outlines historical and future strategies for flood mitigation, multifunctional infrastructure, and collaboration with other nations to adapt to climate change. The Delta Program is highlighted as a comprehensive plan aimed at improving flood risk management and freshwater supply until 2050, with a focus on sustainability and national survival.

1. How the Dutch Keep
Their Feet Dry (and
not move to Germany)
Adaptation, Risk
Mitigation and National
Will
Dale T Morris
Senior Economist
Royal Netherlands Embassy
1
1-2-2014

2. Overview
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The Netherlands: geography, adaptation, water wolves
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Past Practices, Future Foundations
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Multifunctional Infrastructure
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The Future (How to Avoid Moving to Germany)
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Collaborations in the US (time permitting)
1-2-2014

3. The Netherlands, in Europe
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1-2-2014

4. The Netherlands: a delta landscape, penetrated by
rivers, subject to sea and river flooding
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5. The Netherlands, at risk
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H A
R
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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
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•
100 km
storm surge, wet weather, heavy river
discharge, subsiding, drought
changing climate. SLR: 1 – 2.5 ft ~2100
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water mgmt is a matter of national
survival and an opportunity
Deltacommissaris
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6. Area potentially flooded at water level 6.0 m below MSL
Deltacommissaris

7. Area potentially flooded at water level 5.0 m below MSL
Deltacommissaris

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

9. Area potentially flooded at water level 3.0 m below MSL
Deltacommissaris

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

11. Area potentially flooded at water level 1.0 m below MSL
Deltacommissaris

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

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

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

15. 15
1-2-2014

16. Focus of past mitigation: shorten the coastline
300  45 km
750  50 km
Deltacommissaris
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17. Delta Works: Reduce coastal/delta surge impacts
•Shorten coastline / strong spine
•Navigation open, working delta
•40 yr buildout
• Infra takes time
• Small projects first
• Redesigned to mitigate
substantial enviro/eco impacts in
estuary
Deltacommissaris

18. 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
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Slow-moving winter storms vs fastmoving tropical storms
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Max storm windspeeds different
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Rainfall manageable
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Small- to- mid-sized rivers
1/10,000 = 1/500?
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19. We‟re safe!
1-2-2014
Deltacommissaris
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20. Subsidence
Mining Gas +
salt
Geological
Peat
oxidation

21. Intricate water supply / drainage: summer and winter
Summer
Winter
Deltacommissaris

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

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

26. 3
Depoldering, the plan
Bottleneck Gorinchem
river Merwede
To the sea
river Meuse

27. Depoldering Noordwaard (11,000 square acres)
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Goals:
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Impacts:
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Lower water level +/- 30 cm @
Gorinchem
Improve spatial quality of area
Restore coherence of environment
Enable current residents to maintain
residence, if desired
Maintenance of farming occupation
(either within polder or elsewhere)
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Overflow area will flood 1-5 x year
Nearby areas 1 x in 25 years
Fort Steurgart remains protected
Most residences will now be “outside
the dikes”, on raised mounds
Flood levels no higher than 1 meter in
residences
New park / recreation / tourism
opportunities
Remains accessible to all users
Surprise! Reduce flood risk at
Dordrecht (90 cm)
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28. 28
1-2-2014

29. 3
waterdynamic

30. 3
waterdynamic

31. 3
waterdynamic

32. 3
waterdynamic

33. 3
waterdynamic

34. 3
waterdynamic

36. Room for the river | Ijssel River | Zutphen - Cortenoever
Extremesituation
Situationhigh water situation
Current with regular water flooding
Proposed situation

37. 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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1-2-2014

38. Bottleneck

39. 2
1

40. Dike set-back strategy: safety, increased storage /
flow capacity, and new land opportunities
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1-2-2014

42. Before / After (impression)
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1-2-2014

43. Experience the river

44. Stages
2000
fright
2002
2004
fight
2006
2008
2010
2012
acquiescence building trust
2014
pride
Nijmegen takes lead
the bad news
first scenario’s
salomons judgement
public involvement
definite plan
start realization

45. Rotterdam: 4 threats (or an opportunity?)
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1-2-2014

46. URBAN FLOODPLAIN

47. UNDERGROUND WATER STORAGE

50. Scheveningen Blvd: improve mandated protection
and urban amenity (2006 safety assessment)
Deltacommissaris
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51. Bouldevard Scheveningen De Solà - Morales

52. Deltacommissaris

54. Katwijk

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

58. Building with Nature

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

60. Building with Nature
Deltacommissaris

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

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

63. Tendency towards larger-scale nourishments
Extra functions nourishments (nature, surfing)?
Deltacommissaris

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

65. The Sand Engine
• enhanced safety against flooding
• first: wave attenuator;
later: wider dune buffer
• cheaper per m3 compared to
traditional nourishments
• longer period between nourishments
• more time for beach / nearshore
ecosystem to recover
• recreation potential
• swimming, surfing, beach recreation
• wider dune area
• increased freshwater reserve
Deltacommissaris

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

67. Predictions morphological behavior
Deltares (Delft3D) numerical model forecast
T=5 year
Deltacommissaris

68. Predictions morphological behavior
Deltares (Delft3D) numerical model forecast
T=10 year
Deltacommissaris

69. Predictions morphological behavior
Deltares (Delft3D) numerical model forecast
T=20 year
Deltacommissaris

70. Constructed peninsula
Deltacommissaris

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

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

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

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

75. Spit and channel formation near lagoon
Deltacommissaris

76. 2nd Delta Commission: 2007/08 (Katrina inspired)
Working together with water: a living land
builds for its future
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1-2-2014

77. Delta Commission, 2008:
The threat is not acute,
but measures to improve
flood risk management and
fresh water supply
should be prepared urgently!
Deltacommissaris

78. The Delta Program: safe and productive over 100
years (how to not move to Germany)
Independent Delta Commissioner (and small staff)
Cost-benefit analysis for every
project
2011 – 2014: Research program to identify and quantify challenges
Tipping points approach
2014: Delta Decisions
No-regret measures
2015 – 2020: Develop projects
Adaptive management
2020 -2050: 1 billion euro/yr for project implementation
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Delta Programme Commissioner
2/1/2014

79. Tipping Points
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1-2-2014

80. Dutch – American Collaborations
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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
Sandy
80
1-2-2014

81. New Orleans: Urban Water Plan for a Living Water
System
Deltacommissaris
1-2-2014

82. PILOT PROJECT: Hollygrove
Greater New Orleans Water Management

83. PILOT PROJECT: Mirabeau
Greater New Orleans Water Management

84. ORLEANS OPPORTUNITIES
Greater New Orleans Water Management

85. Fluvial Zone Type
01:
Agricultural Land
Use & Pooled
River
The Challenges
Agriculture:
Ecological:
Navigation:
Levees:
Development:

86. Group Analysis

87. Mayor Villaraigosa and The Dutch
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2/1/2014

88. Super-Storm Sandy
They said: “We need Dutch barriers!”
We said: “Wait a minute…”
Rebuild by Design
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2/1/2014