Delta Programme 2018 Continuing the work on a sustainable and safe delta Delta Programme 2018 Continuing the work on a sustainable and safe delta Including: Delta Plan on Flood Risk Management Measures to protect the Netherlands from flooding Delta Plan on Freshwater Supply Measures to ensure the availability of freshwater in the Netherlands Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation Measures to render the Netherlands climate-proof and water-resilient The Delta Programme is published through an online tool. The PDF before you has been generated from this online publication. After 19 September 2017, the publication is available at www.deltacommissaris.nl. Coverphoto: Urban flooding, May 2016, Cuijk Contents Cover letter and Delta Programme Commissioner’s recommendations 5 1 Introductory summary 6 1.1 Continuing the work on a sustainable and safe delta 7 Part I National level 11 2 Progress of the Delta Programme 12 2.1 Progress based on Monitoring, Analysing, Acting 13 2.2 General picture of the progress 15 2.2.1 On schedule 16 2.2.2 On track 17 2.2.3 Integrated approach 20 2.2.4 Participation 21 2.2.5 Effectiveness of the regions 23 2.3 Progress in flood risk management 24 2.4 Progress in spatial adaptation 29 2.5 Progress in freshwater supply 37 2.6 Embedding, knowledge and innovation, international collaboration 41 2.6.1 Embedding 42 2.6.2 Knowledge 43 2.6.3 Innovation 44 2.6.4 International efforts 45 3 Delta Fund 47 3.1 Developments in the Delta Fund 48 3.2 Resources from other partners 51 3.3 The financial taskings of the Delta Programme 55 3.4 Financial security of the Delta Programme 56 Part II Regions 57 4 Progress per region 58 4.1 IJsselmeer Region/freshwater supply region IJsselmeer Region 59 4.2 Rhine Estuary-Drechtsteden/West-Netherlands freshwater supply region 63 4.3 Rhine/ Area around the major rivers freshwater supply region 68 4.4 Meuse 73 4.5 Southwest Delta/Southwest Delta freshwater supply region 76 4.6 The Coast 80 4.7 Wadden Region 83 4.8 Elevated Sandy Soils South and East 85 Part III Delta Plans 88 5 Delta Plan on Flood Risk Management 89 Measures to protect the Netherlands from flooding 5.1 Implementation programmes 90 5.1.1 Flood Protection Programme 91 5.1.2 Second Flood Protection Programme 99 5.1.3 Room for the River 100 5.1.4 Meuse Projects 101 5.1.5 WaalWeelde 102 5.1.6 IJsselmeer Closure Dam 103 5.1.7 Repair of Oosterschelde and Westerschelde stone claddings - Zeeland foreland deposits 104 5.2 River widening in interconnection with dyke improvement 105 5.3 Studies ensuing from knowledge agenda and in regions 106 Map Flood risk management measures 107 6 Delta Plan on Freshwater Supply 108 Measures to ensure the availability of freshwater in the Netherlands 109 Map Freshwater supply measures 114 7 Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation 115 Measures to render the Netherlands climate-proof and water-resilient 7.1 Introduction 116 7.1.1 Justification 117 7.1.2 Aim and state of affairs of the Delta Plan 119 7.1.3 Collective realisation 120 7.2 Context 121 7.3 “Analysis, Ambition, Action” – state of affairs 122 7.3.1 Waterlogging 123 7.3.2 Heat stress 125 7.3.3 Drought 126 7.3.4 Consequences of urban flooding 127 7.3.5 Current approach 128 7.4 Our intentions: expediting and intensifying 131 7.4.1 Vision: from the present to 2050 132 7.4.2 Ambition and strategy 133 7.4.2.1. Mapping out vulnerabilities 133 7.4.2.2 Conducting a risk dialogue and drawing up a strategy 134 7.4.2.3 Drawing up an implementation agenda 135 7.4.2.4. Capitalising on linkage opportunities 136 7.4.2.5 Promoting and facilitating 136 7.4.2.6 Regulating and embedding 137 7.4.2.7 Responding to disasters 138 7.4.3 Interim goals 139 7.4.4 Nationwide governance framework regarding spatial adaptation 140 7.4.5 Funding 142 Appendix 1. Action programme 143 Appendix 2. Outcomes of regional meetings and round table discussions 144 Background documents and downloads 146 Colophon 148 Translation of the original cover lett er from the Delta Programme Commissioner to the State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment. M.H. Schultz van Haegen – Maas Geesteranus State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment P.O. Box 20901 2500 EX The Hague Date: 22 June 2017 Re: Delta Programme 2018 cover lett er Your Excellency, It is my pleasure to present to you the Delta Programme 2018 (DP2018). In order to be able to continue to make suffi cient headway with the Delta Programme, I would like to draw your att ention to three proposals contained in this lett er, supplementary to the proposal and the recommendations that form part of the DP2018 main text, relating to the funding of the fl ood risk management, freshwater supply, and climate-proofi ng taskings. Recent insights into climate change render the timely implementation of the Delta Programme even more urgent, and call for additional eff orts in several areas. For this reason, in addition to the measures set out in the Delta Plan on Flood Risk Management, aimed at protecting the Netherlands against fl ooding, and the measures pertaining to water availability as set out in the Delta Plan on Freshwater Supply, this Delta Programme 2018 is the fi rst to comprise a Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation. The Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation comprises a strategy and measures for climate-proofi ng and improving the water resilience of the Netherlands, thus enabling the country to cope with extreme weather conditions. The Delta Plans contain detailed schedules of measures and provisions for the fi rst six years and indicative schedules for the subsequent twelve years, looking ahead to 2050 (in accordance with Article 4.9, paragraph 5 of the Water Act). Under Article 3.6b of the Water Act, it is my duty as Delta Programme Commissioner to monitor the progress in the implementation of the Delta Programme, to report on such progress, and to issue relevant advice. With a view to safeguarding its continued progress, the fi nancial embedding of the Delta Programme gives rise to three recommendations. 1. I recommend that, in line with the investment agenda1 of the regional government umbrella organisations (Association of Netherlands Municipalities VNG, Association of Provincial Authorities IPO, Association of Dutch Regional Water Authorities UvW), which requests an annual sum of 230 million euros for the implementation of the Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation, a substantial additional sum2 be added to the Delta Fund in the purview of the implementation of the Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation. If a new Cabinet should decide to allocate such a sum, it would be conceivable that these additional resources would be used for a limited period of time, e.g., for six years, to foster local and regional plans to combat waterlogging and heat stress. In my capacity as Delta Programme Commissioner I will provide further advice on this matt er in due time. 2. I recommend that the central government and other Delta Programme partners set aside a substantial sum for river widening projects; the central government may do so in the Delta Fund. Within the Delta Fund, a sum of 200 million euros has already been earmarked for the short-term implementation of the “river widening and dyke improvement” strategy. Meanwhile, several MIRT Explorations have been launched, in collaboration with regional partners, to substantiate this strategy. My advice to the parties concerned is to continue to contribute, based on an allocation ratio (central – regional governments) yet to be determined, with due regard for the experience gained in recent years. This would make it possible to pursue the success of the Room for the River programme, and continue to work on a robust river system. To this end, the Delta Programme parties are currently developing a long-term ambition for river widening projects along the Meuse and the Rhine tributaries, supplementary to the short-term river widening measures. This is generating high-quality area developments along these rivers, rendering the area around the major rivers not only resilient and structurally safer, but also increasing its appeal and “perceptibility”. 3. I recommend that, in the period of 2022 to 2027 inclusive, a total of 150 million euros be set aside in the Delta Fund for the second round of freshwater supply measures. Like fl ood risk management, the availability of suffi cient freshwater is vitally important to the liveability of our country. This is particularly signifi cant in terms of the economy: some 17% of the Dutch economy depend on freshwater. For the fi rst round of freshwater supply measures, a sum of 150 million euros has been set aside in the Delta Fund up to and including 2021. The Delta Programme 2015 already indicated that investments continue to be needed in the period beyond in order to improve the resilience of the water system and att ain the water availability goals by 2050. Finally, I would like to call your att ention to an issue pointed out by local authorities. A sustainable approach to our delta requires the commitment of and close collaboration between (and among) all the parties concerned: not just governments, but also residents and businesses. This applies to all the taskings addressed by the Delta Programme: fl ood risk management, freshwater supply, and climate-proofi ng the Netherlands. In this regard, the Association of Dutch Regional Water Authorities UvW, the Association of Netherlands Municipalities VNG, and the Association of Provincial Authorities IPO note that any cutbacks aff ecting the local authorities will be at loggerheads with the realisation of the urgent Delta Programme taskings.