Bart de Jong

Counselor for Infrastructure and the Defense Environment In The : A Story of Adaptation Royal Netherlands Embassy Washington D.C. “Remembering the Past, Preparing for the Future”

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1809 1807

1953 1995 A Story of Adaptation: Outline

• Traditional flood defense as from AD 1000: hard levees

• Accommodating increasing flood threats: Living with Water

• Building with nature

• Multi layered safety approach The Dutch Delta in NW Europe

• The Netherlands is the delta of , , and Eems;

• 26% below sea level;

• 60% of population, 70% of GDP earned in area below sea level; The Dutch Delta in NW Europe

• The Netherlands is the delta of Rhine, Meuse, Scheldt and Eems;

• 26% below sea level;

• 60% of population, 70% of GDP earned in area below sea level;

• 59% prone to flooding. Traditional flood protection since A.D. 1000: dams, levees, pumping! Major in 1916, 1926, 1953: More and higher dams and levees

Enclosure Dam (1932)

Deltaworks Maeslantkering (1997)

Eastern Scheldt Estuary Dams (1986) National Flood Policy • Legal obligation to protect against floods (Water Act 1992) • Dedicated governance structure, strong administrative bodies: – Central: ministries / Rijkswaterstaat; – Regional: water boards & provinces; – Local: . • Safety level: 1/10.000 – 1/1.250 • Levee safety review: every 6 yrs • International cooperation The Delta Under Pressure: Challenges

More /extreme More/intense storms? rainfall

Increased river Spatial discharge developments + 10% Decreased Salt river Sealevel rise Increased intrusion 35-85 cm/100y erosion discharge Subsidence - 60% 20 cm/100yr

9 Trend is Clear

Flooding of Coast, Caused by Global Warming, Has Already Begun, New York Times, Sept 3, 2016 A Story of Adaptation

• Traditional defense as from AD 1000: hard levees

• Accommodating increasing flood threats: Living with Water

• Building with nature

• Multi layered safety approach Accommodating Increasing Flood Threats

• Shift in Paradigm:

• From flood protection to flood management: – Adapting spatial planning: Living with Water • Room for River • Create space for excess water in urban areas – Adapting infrastructure: multifunctional sea defenses

• Anticipate changes, e.g. sea level rise

• Accept: No such thing as absolute safety: be prepared! Living with Water: Room for the River

Vulnerability assessment: 2001- 2006

300+ possible riverine flood risk projects identified

Two equal goals: Flood risk reduction and improve spatial quality

2006-2009: stakeholder engagement

2011 -2016: 35 projects completed ($3 billion) Room for the River: River at

Nijmegen: pop. 200,000k Waal River busiest inland shipping route in Europe

Challenge: Reduce flood risk Accommodate high river discharges Safeguard connection to urban center

14 Room for the River: Waal River at Nijmegen

• Excavate river arm • Widen river bed

• 50 households displaced • 3 new bridges • 7 public authorities • Waterfront housing • Waterfront retail Room for the River: Waal River at Nijmegen Room for the River: IJssel River at

17 14-9-2016 Living with Water: Urban Flood Plain Living with Water: Urban Retention Basin Rotterdam

19 9/14/2016 Living with Water: Combined Parking Garage and Retention Basin Rotterdam Living with Water: Adapted Urban Planning Innovative Solutions Coastal Protection Katwijk (Dam in Dune) 2013 - 2015

Katwijk: protection, amenity, - Protection + SpatialPPP) Quality - Wider beach: improved safety + nature - Dike in dune: space for parking and modern boulevard for retail - Development of parking on PPP basis Innovative Solutions Coastal Protection: Katwijk (Dam in Dune) 2013 - 2015

Parking in dam/dune: 666 cars! Innovative Solution Coastal Protection: Scheveningen Boulevard

24 A Story of Adaptation

• Traditional Defense as from 1000: Hard sea walls

• Accommodating increasing flood threats: Living with Water

• Building with nature

• Multi layered safety approach Building with Nature: “Sand Motor”

Creation, 2010

January 2012

September 2011

26 Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu A Story of Adaptation

• Traditional Defense as from 1000: Hard sea walls

• Accommodating increasing flood threats: Living with Water

• Building with nature

• Multi layered safety approach Water Safety Policy 2009: Multy Layered Approach

• Prevention Limit the risk of a flood disaster (dams, levees, dunes and barriers, room for the river)

• Sustainable spatial planning Limiting the effects of flooding

• Crisis management Reducing the consequences of a flood

Deltacommissaris Crisis Management

Raise awareness:

• “Overstroom ik?” app (Will I flood?)

• Acceptance that not every disaster can be prevented

• Prepare public for evacuation

Deltacommissaris Lessons learned

• Flood risk is not a singular, static issue. Conditions change and often there are multiple issues.

• There is and end to raising “hard” coastal defense

• Risk = Threat x Vulnerability x Cost

• Understand the landscape: geography, occupation, but also economics, behaviour and politics

• Awareness is crucial for support and succes!

30 14-9-2016 THANK YOU!