#Arjo Kleinhuis Work in the floodplains along the river IJssel
Safety for four million people in the Dutch delta
Dutch Water Programme Room for the River Facts and figures The water in the rivers reached extremely high levels in 1993 and 1995. 250,000 people and one million head of livestock had to be evacuated in 1995. Budget € 2.3 billion Planning Start Completion
2007 2013-2019
Current maximum discharge capacity 15,000 m3/sec Discharge capacity on completion 16,000 m3/sec
As a consequence, the Dutch government implemented anti-flooding measures in the region of the rivers. The ‘Room for the River’ approach was born.
Natural floodplain restored Room for the River restores the river’s natural floodplain in places where it is least harmful in order to protect those areas that need to be defended. In a few years, by means of a series of more than 30 measures, we will have lowered and broadened our floodplain and created river diversions and temporary water storage areas. We will restore marshy riverine landscapes to serve once again as natural ‘water storage’ sponges and to safeguard biodiversity and aesthetic and recreational values.
Local and global The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and more than half of it is below sea level. Flood protection is therefore a very high priority for the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment within the compass of water management.
Provinces, municipalities, regional water authorities and Rijkswaterstaat are cooperating on the implementation of the Room for the River Programme. Furthermore, within the compass of the Room for the River programme there is close collaboration at international level on flood protection.
Keeping one step ahead of disasters The cadence of Dutch history has been punctuated by sea floods and the responses to these. For the most part the danger stemmed from the sea. In 1993 and 1995, however, flooding hit the Netherlands from behind its defences. The Dutch rivers swelled to unprecedented levels, with nigh on catastrophic results. In 1995 large tracts of farmland were inundated. 250,000 people and one million head of livestock were evacuated.
The Afsluitdijk, the Delta Works, Room for the River – all of these flood defence projects have been reactive in nature, responding to specific threats. In the opinion of the Dutch government this needs to change. The Netherlands would like to be one step ahead of disasters, implementing measures in a timely fashion. This is being effectuated by means of the Delta Programme, which sees the country preparing itself for climate change in the lead up to the year 2100.
www.roomfortheriver.com