The Parana Delta - an Exceptional Case

The Parana Delta - an exceptional case

Mudflats Plains

Estuaries Lagoons

Maps by Nijhuis & Pouderoijen Urbanizing deltas: the most vulnerable regions of the world

- Growing population and economic activities - Relative Sea Level Rise (RSLR; = sea level rise + land subsidence) - Strategies on flood defense, drainage, dredging, reclamation: decrease of the capacity of the territory to deal with water

The vulnerability of urbanizing deltas is increasing because of:

The Netherlands: Building a robust ‘armor’

Rijksdienst Nationale Plan 1953 A Robust system ‘The fight against water’ Prevention of disturbances

From a wild delta landscape… … to a controlled hydraulic construction The Netherlands: Building a robust ‘armor’

Stormvloedkering HollandseDike construction IJssel

Hondsbossche Zeewering © Marnix Goossens

Oosterscheldedam Oosterscheldedam Afsluitdijk The Netherlands: Building a robust ‘armor’

Some disadvantages

- Not very resilient Difficult to restore after an accident

- Not very comfortable Difficult to combine with practice of daily life

- Not very adaptive Difficult to adapt to changing A Robust system circumstances Prevention of disturbances

Reasons to reconsider the system

1. Coastal erosion 2. un-going land-subsidence

3. insufficient capacity of river beds for 4. insufficient capacity of drainage systems increasing peak-discharges of rivers during intense rainstorms Reasons to reconsider the system - Physical changes

Effects of Climate Change Reasons to reconsider the system - Societal changes Increasing public demand for spatial and natural quality

1970s protests against closure of the East Scheldt

2005 Protest against dike-enforcements in river-area 2009 protest against building in open water Making the delta resistant ….or … Making the delta resilient

Rijksdienst Nationale Plan 1953 2nd Delta Committee 2008 ‘The fight against water’ ‘Working together with water’ Agenda for water systems of the 21st century:

1. Restore the natural resilience capacity - ‘Building with Nature’

2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas - Improving long term spatial quality - Improving ecological quality - Improving economic development

3. Make the system adaptable - Being prepared to possible changes in the future Agenda for water systems of the 21st century:

1. Restore the natural resilience capacity - ‘Building with Nature’

2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas - Improving spatial quality - Improving ecological quality - Improving economic development

3. Make the system adaptable - Being prepared to possible changes in the future Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’

Program Room for the river (2005 - 2015) Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’

NIJMEGEN NOORDWAARD

Program Room for the river (2005 - 2015) Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’

Room for the River at the City of Nijmegen Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’

Noordwaard Flooding of the Noordwaard, related with Design by Robert de Koning and RWS different river-water levels Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’

2008

2015

Nijmegen Waalsprong

‘Sand engine’ – coast of South-Holland - 2011 2012 © Rijkswaterstaat Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’

Studio Coastal Quality (2011 – 2014): Exploring new spatial qualities of a dynamic coastline TU Delft + Delta Program, Provinces South- and North Holland, Zeeland, City of The Hague, van Oord Dredgers Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’: Green-blue infrastructures

Amsterdam

The Hague

Rotterdam Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’: Green-blue infrastructures

Rotterdam flood reduction strategies Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’: Green-blue infrastructures

Rotterdam Water Square, Sunny weather © De Urbanisten

Rotterdam Water Square, Rainy weather © De Urbanisten Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’: Green-blue infrastructures

Rotterdam Water Square © De Urbanisten Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’: Green-blue infrastructures

Before After

Rotterdam – Oude Westen. Initiatives of residents for additional gardens. Designs by Wolbert van Dijk, urban designer & landscape architect. Ttt 1. Restore the natural resilience capacity ‘Building with Nature’: Green-blue infrastructures

Rotterdam – Oude Westen. Initiatives of residents for additional gardens. Designs by Wolbert van Dijk, urban designer & landscape architect. Agenda for water systems of the 21st century:

1. Restore the natural resilience capacity - ‘Building with Nature’

2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas - Improving spatial quality - Improving ecological quality - Improving economic development

3. Make the system adaptable - Being prepared to possible changes in the future 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Before……..

Kustwerk Katwijk (Coastal works Katwijk) dike + parking + dune-landscape 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Before…….. and after intervention

Kustwerk Katwijk (Coastal works Katwijk) dike + parking + dune-landscape 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Kustwerk Katwijk (Coastal works Katwijk) dike + parking + dune-landscape 2. Combineflood-protection flood City riskof Rotterdam strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam flood reduction strategies 2. Combineflood-protection flood City riskof Rotterdam strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam flood reduction strategies 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam Hilledijk - theoretical section

Rotterdam flood reduction strategies 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Vulnerability of unembanked areas

Rotterdam flood reduction strategies 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam: Vulnerability of unembanked waterfront-areas

Rotterdam flood reduction strategies 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas The River as a Tidal Park

Collaboration of • Port of Rotterdam • City of Rotterdam • World Wildlife Fund 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas The River as a Tidal Park

Reduction flood-risk Regional life-cycle laboratory

Layer for urban development International show-case 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas The River as a Tidal Park Integrating city and nature Attractive environment

More bio-diversity Laboratory of new agriculture 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam – ‘roof-top park’

Rotterdam flood reduction strategies 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam-West, railroad-yard - previous situation 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam – ‘roof-top park’

Rotterdam-West, rooftop park, current situation 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Rotterdam – ‘roof-top park’ 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Designing the framework: Integrating design, engineering and planning 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Designing the framework: Integrating design, engineering and planning

www.livingwithwater.com 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Designing the framework: Integrating design, engineering and planning

Solutions at different scales 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Designing the framework: Integrating design, engineering and planning

www.livingwithwater.com 2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas

Designing the framework: Integrating design, engineering and planning

Bueno Aires & Parana delta, by Wolbert van Dijk, 2011 Agenda for water systems of the 21st century:

1. Restore the natural resilience capacity - ‘Building with Nature’

2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas - Improving spatial quality - Improving ecological quality - Improving economic development

3. Make the system adaptable - Being prepared to possible changes in the future Design-agenda for water systems of the 21st century:

1. Restore the natural resilience capacity - ‘Building with Nature’

2. Combine flood risk strategy with other agendas - Improving spatial quality - Improving ecological quality - Improving social and economic quality - Energy transition

3. Make the system adaptable - Being prepared to possible changes in the future