Longread Spatial Quality room for the river

Safe rivers enrich the environment The river network in the Netherlands is dealing with an increasing inflow of water, and thus a concurrent increase in flood risks. In order to prevent flooding, measures are taken at 34 different locations. The measures include relocation of dikes and embankments, floodplains, high tide troughs, summertime riverbed and groyne deepening, depoldering and water storage.

This alone is already an ambitious endeavor. However, the Room for the River program is aiming for a second main objective as well: environmental quality. An applied measure must not just affect an increase in safety for the surrounding environment, it must also aid in the strengthening of ecological and scenic aspects and economical functionality. Together, these objectives provide a unique mission that, when complete, will lead to safer and beautiful river environments.

This longread document will outline how the Room for the River program will provide a framework for the main objective to improve environmental quality.

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he governmental regulation of the nation-wide program is accredited to the Room for the River directorate the Department of Public Works, whereby the minister for Infrastructure and Environment will hold end political responsibility.

In order to bring the program to successful completion, it is evident that close and effective cooperation with the regions of all 34 projects, which together form the program reach, is necessary. And each project involves numerous stakeholders. Besides regional and local government, involved parties include the Dutch water boards, residents, companies and interest groups concerned with nature, culture, recreation and work. Each party has its own interests, opinions and wishes concerning use of available space. Thus, sustaining and improving environmental quality comes down to how the project measures fit together with the state of the environment and the use of space in active deliberation with involved parties.

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Researchers from Berenschot describe the complexity of this process at a mid-term program evaluation in 2011. “Interests from different parties can run counter to one another, which could lead to executive tensions. Additionally, this kind of program driven cooperation is relatively new and we have yet to find a clear path to success.

This adds to the risk factors involved in such programs, especially considering the significance of the investments and social interests.”

The prerequisite criteria all projects must meet have been recorded in the Planning Key Decision, established in 2006. Broadly, this contains the safety objectives, the objective for environmental quality, the budget, timeframe and type of measure to be applied. The Room for the River directorate acts as the project director and supervisor.

However, the exact interpretation of means and measures is mostly open and executive responsibility lies initially with the executive parties (the Department of Public Works, provincial and municipal government and Dutch water boards). They are – in cooperative deliberation – responsible for design decisions, risk management, licensing, selection and management of commercial parties and for the creation of public support on a local level.

Creating public support An example. The safety objective assignment for the IJssel near Deventer is a lowering of the water table until even 18 centimeters.

The city of Deventer is inextricably linked to the IJssel. In the Hanze period (circa 1350-1450) the river functioned as an important international shipping route for trade and played an important role in the flourishing development of the city. “Citizens of Deventer feel connected with the river”, says Hans Heilen, independent project manager hired by the municipality of Deventer as project lead to guide the planning examination for the river expansion measures near the IJssel along the right paths. “Deventer citizens were apprehensive about the scale of the project, afraid that it might damage the characteristic countenance of the city. Because of this, the city planning board stated ‘if it must be done, then let us take matters into our own hands’.”

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Hans Heilen, independent project manager

A sketch of the planned river expansion on the banks facing the Deventer city center

It was clear to Heilen that the project could only achieve success if all stakeholders would be involved. A top-down implementation of a plan would be the wrong way to go. The first step was to have the municipal government explain the necessity of the intended measures and to provide proper information. In this, no expense was spared: from excursions to the floodplains and written pieces to enlisting well-known weather man Erwin Krol to elaborate on climate change and related consequences.

Next, involved parties were asked about their relationship with the river. Residents, water sports associations, entrepreneurs, the Oud-Deventer Foundation (Old Deventer), the iconic IJsselhotel, shipowners societies, leisure walk associations; each and every one was included via a sounding board focus group. Landscaping architects were also made part of this group in order to provide sound, professional advice.

‘From the start, we were very clear about the process.

They (the stakeholders) would have an advisory role, but we would be making the eventual decisions. But of course we tried to come to a joint regionally focused approach.’

Hans Heilen

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For example, this clear division of roles becomes apparent with the input provided by the local water sports association. They suggested the installation of a secondary channel by the river that would allow them to row in standing water. However, their suggestion is not desirable from a spatial planning point of view and arranging for licenses would be problematic. The project management team then coupled – after deliberation with the Room for the River directorate – the water sports association’s wishes to the objectives of the local program, eventually leading to a new version of the project plan that contains secondary river channels that fit within the spatial parameters, leads to sufficient decline of the water table and provides standing water for rowing practice.

Historical cityscape The water sports association is not the only group with spatial ideas.

Numerous regional parties have wishes and assignments that will all come together in the Room for the river project. For example, the IJssel Landscape Foundation has leased agricultural ground that fits within their vision to combine water safety, nature development and agricultural activities. The Natuurderij, an organic farming company, manages the floodplains and in addition the area has a protected status and is thus subject to the special regulations as set by Natura 2000.

Arrangement plans for the Keizers and Stobben holms with the Natuurderij

A bit down the river other interests play a main role. In this area the municipality would like to reduce the visible presence of the large salon boats of the local shipowners societies, while they prefer a more prominent placement. And all the while, the Old Deventer Foundation is keeping vigilant and critical watch on the proceedings, to ensure the historical cityscape.

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The green, historical cityscape of Deventer

To get all parties on board, it is critical to keep a keen eye on all vested interests. If the planning suggestion of the water sports association can’t be executed, can their wishes be granted through other means?

To maintain progress, project decisions are subdivided and completed in smaller, more manageable projects and commissioning parties (the Department of Public Works, provincial and municipal government and Dutch water boards) are continuously kept well-informed. In this manner of problem solving, step by step progress is made.

A team of local specialists is involved to safeguard the quality of the applied measures, by analogy with the so-called quality team (Q-team) that advises Room for the River. The independent Q-team, headed by the Government Advisor for Landscaping and Water Management, is a multidisciplinary team and provides advice on the proposed plans from the specialist fields of landscaping architecture, river engineering, ecology, physical geography and city planning. Heilen: “Their expert views and input really keep you alert and on the ball. They question why you might take a left turn and not a right. This makes you keep sight on everything and prevents you from resting on your laurels.”

To Heilen, appointing environmental quality as a main objective was crucial. By doing this, the technical aspects are kept from being leading in the endeavour and it becomes necessary early to understand the area as a living and breathing whole. If you don’t do this, you start at an immediate disadvantage and in later stages 5

of the process you will encounter resistance and delays due to a lack of public support. Heilen: “The Room for the River directorate joined into the process well and luckily they feel that way as well.

In this way the safety objectives were achieved and the environ­ mental objective was also fully satisfied.”

Rare combination Could the successful completion of the Deventer project be called exemplary for the Room for the River method? The Berenschot researchers answered this question in their 2011 mid-term project evaluation. “The explicit definition of environmental quality as a main objective has led to an efficient method, wherein a working dialogue between government, stakeholders and experts provided definition of design quality. The decentralized approach, whereby initiative is given to municipalities, regional government or the Dutch water board, works and leads to good results.”

Meanwhile, three years have passed and the Room for the River method is still bearing fruit, according to Friso de Zeeuw, professor of spatial Development at TU Delft and New Markets Director at the Infrastructural Development fund. He cites the broad approach of building security combined with spatial quality and the combination of centralized management from The Hague with he decentralized planning and implementation at project level as success factors. And – in third place – the compilation and dissemination of knowledge.

Friso de Zeeuw, professor of spatial Development at TU Delft and New Markets Director at the Infrastructural Development fund

‘Room for the River shows the positive aspects of the polder model.’

Friso de Zeeuw De Zeeuw teaches about those aspects that large scale projects such as Room for the River must have in order to work. Objectives must be clear, there must be a well-defined execution strategy about which national and local government must exchange information, and the right knowledge and skills must be on board, all supported by sufficient budget. “It’s quite uncommon to see all criteria satisfied in one project. The main risk in the Netherlands is having everything mired in bureaucracy. However, if successful, you will reap maximum benefits from what the Netherlands has to offer: a fully integrated approach. Room for the River shows the positive aspects of the polder model.”

Top-down support The success of the integrated approach can in part be accredited to active endorsement by the Department of Public Works leadership for the wide scope vision for safety ánd environmental quality, 6

according to the professor of Environmental Development.

Additionally, it is important that executive control and responsibility in the projects isn’t given to a technical engineer, but to an environmental developer with proper oversight of environmental quality, who is surrounded by a good team of people. “In these financially difficult times, voices are being raised in The Hague (central government) to reduce spending to safety objectives only.

If done, quality and integration are let go and resistance will replace support. You really have to include the social environment.”

However, cost-awareness does play an important role in large scale projects and it is here that De Zeeuw sees room for improvement for Room for the River. In his opinion, an economic objective should have been granted a more prominent position. This could, for example, be achieved by bolstering the economic supportive stakeholders of an area, such as (water) recreation. The commercial market could likewise have taken a more prominent role; local companies undoubtedly have wishes and could thus be involved financially concerning the formation of the approach. Needed gain could be made on spending as well, according to De Zeeuw.

“I mean the number of semi-accurate studies executed during the preparatory stage on situations that eventually never happen.

I would like to see more a more common knowledge driven approach. And this will become even more necessary, because the government has much fewer funds then initially available for Room for the River.

Defeating resistance The city of Nijmegen and its citizens had been at odds with each other ever since the government had suspended area development on the river Waal because of safety interests. Near Nijmegen, the river has a sharp bend which then forms a bottleneck. High tide flooding threatened the city in 1993 and 1995. Cooperative deliberation about which safety measures would be needed were initially very slow and difficult, while it was evident that the measures would have great consequences for citizens and local companies.

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A sketch of the panoramic view of the Lent dike relocation

In 2007 Dutch parliament decreed to move the Nijmegen-Lent dike 350 metres inland. This will create a secondary channel and additional runoff capacity, retarding a rise in water level.

‘The question of how to implement this decree so the area will truly become an addition to the community’

Karsten Schipperheijn Karsten Schipperheijn has been hired by the city of Nijmegen to act as local manager for the ‘Room for the Waal’ project (Lent dike relocation). The assigned project team immediately set off on two different tracks: the ‘hard’ track of providing information, public participation and procedural planning, and the ‘soft’ track set towards finding the best possible connection to local identity and alleviation of worries. The soft track was needed, because the initial difficulties had damaged trust. Citizens were interviewed, stories about the city were compiled in a booklet, life-sized information cubes have been placed throughout the area and a look-out tower was constructed to aid visualization and perception of the project.

The project team all available resources in order to provide proper information and to involve interested parties in the project execution. ‘We are listening and figuring out all possibilities’, is the message to be shared.

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Karsten Schipperheijn, local manager for the ‘Room for the Waal’ project

Cultural and historic issues Certain issues run counter to each other in the formation of the area that will be created due to the relocation of the dike. Schipperheijn: “Do you prefer more countryside or recreation space? Quiet or vibrancy? And ecological, cultural and historical issues are naturally important to consider.” For example, the municipal quality team finds a certain bridge design insufficient; it clashes with the cityscape of the existing bridges. Thus, an architect then designs a more visually pleasing bridge that fits within the environment and the budget. Schipperheijn: “The quality team is staffed by top-notch individuals who wield the power to implement changes and corrections to the plan. They participate constructively with a command of a large amount of knowledge and vision, sometimes broaching on the level of specific detail.”

Slowly but surely a cohesive image forms of what the region wishes to see happen and what the water safety measures in Nijmegen and Lent can provide. The secondary channel will house a sand island which will provide as natural as possible living space for birds.

The channel and the island will together form a unique river park in which rowing and other water sports can be practiced.

Dike relocation Lent / Room for the Waal

The rich history of the city will also be taken into planning consideration. Certain historical buildings and World War II bunkers located in the ‘trench area’ will be preserved. Just as remains of Fort Knodsenburg (16th century) must be removed from the trench area; the project team is in search of a good location on the island for the discovered bridgehead of the former moat, so that it might serve to accentuate the full history of the city. The central Q-team describes the importance of cultural and historic values in a document based on two years of experiences

‘In a river environment, nature will develop in a highquality way relatively quickly; however, cultural and historic elements can only be irrevocably erased once.’

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The right combination of people The importance of the early inclusion of stakeholders in a project was clearly demonstrated in Nijmegen and Deventer. The projects remained within budget and time frame projections and far and away the largest number of involved parties are happy with the execution of water safety measures in plans that improve environmental quality. But in order to develop the right plans, you need the right plans and the right combination of knowledge. “Integrated design demands the presence and balance of all the right practical knowledge”, says Regina Havinga, part of the Room for the River directorate as environmental quality expert.

“You need to think of people with knowledge of rivers, soil, technology, archaeology, landscaping architecture and jurisdiction.

With these kinds of complex projects you need to apply that knowledge at the right time and in the right way.”

Havinga emphasises the importance of environmental quality as a main objective and the involvement of the Government Advisor for Landscaping and Water Management. In her role, she can thus provide solicited and unsolicited advice on both managing director and project executive levels. In this way the integrated, regionally focussed approach receives the necessary attention. She knows from experience that a project head of large scale jobs has a lot to deal with and in such cases a subject such as environmental quality can be buried by the prioritization of other issues. Environmental quality isn’t directly measurable and lacks solid legal and regulatory support.

For this reason the directorate was so closely involved with all projects.

‘We maintain a very open approach towards the region. They can contribute their own plans to the assignment. However, I also look at us as a kind of watchdog that sounds the alarm if attention to environmental quality slackens.’

Regina Havinga

Customized dike relocation One of the tasks of the program directorate is to contribute critical analysis and offer support when needed. For example, when do you make use of a landscaping architect and what do you ask this person, exactly? Mid-term plans are reviewed to keep abreast of the situation and in some cases the directorate will send someone to offer support on-site. In the Westenholte neighbourhood in Zwolle, for example, the river expansion measure threatened to create an unwanted situation. It turns out that in the planning phase the measure would leave one large lake like stretch of water, making it seem as if the IJssel doubled in size; a result that would in no way match the small scale landscape. A visit by the Q-team shows that not a single involved party supports this outcome. The eventual suggestion is to move the dike back a little further.

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Regina Havinga, vironmental quality expert

Design sketch for the arrangement of the Westenholte dike relocation

This new plan would require the home relocation of three additional families. All parties involved – municipal and regional government, the Dutch water board, the affected citizens, the landscaping architect involved in the project and Havinga - spend two days in a local community center discussing possible outcome scenarios.

Initial resistance changes to eventual compliance. The families will be relocated to dike homes and the new area will be enriched with flora, an island and boot paths for walking recreation.

An impression of the Westenholte plan of arrangement

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The Westenholte and Deventer examples exemplify the weight of importance the character of the river and surrounding environment bear on the decision for the water safety measure: the measure must not damage the identity of the area, but wherever possible support and strengthen it. The Q-team writes that the solutions must be customized to and in fit with the characteristics of the river.

“So, not widening the IJssel until it has the dimensions of the Waal, no digging secondary channels where they don’t naturally belong and certainly no strangely situated lakes.” Beforehand, the directorate got together with the regional governments and the former ministries VROM and LNV to describe the history and characteristics of each river. Havinga: “The IJssel is a small, intimate river with many bends and wooden quays much contour.

The landscape is completely different when compared to, for example, the wide-open Overdiepse Polder with its large farming companies. That’s why it’s important to formulate plans that fit with the formational history of the area. Consideration of environmental quality already begins there.”

Effective approach When dealing with large-scale environmental planning (infra) projects the projected image of the ‘final settlement’ isn’t very pretty: exceeded budgets and delays are far from exceptional.

The Berenschot study concluded in their 2011 mid-term project evaluation that Room for the River is doing very well.

‘The high scores given to the realization of the (double) objective, budget and time-frame are striking considering the complexity of Room for the River’

Berenschot

The standard oversight review minister Schultz sent to parliament in April this year reaffirms the projects budgetary adherence.

The independent researchers offered assessment of the

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environmental component in their evaluation. “The general conclusion is that the organization and approach are effective.

They have succeeded in formulating plans that not only achieve the Public Works goals, garner public support and financial fit, but also lead to environmental quality.� Mission achieved.

Author: Kees Wessels

Evolution of the Westenholte formulation plan

Safer for four million Dutch