Bart de Jong Counselor for Infrastructure and the Flood Defense Environment In The Netherlands: A Story of Adaptation Royal Netherlands Embassy Washington D.C. “Remembering the Past, Preparing for the Future” 1462 1530 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 Rhine, Meuse, Scheldt 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 Floods 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: municipalities. • 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: Waal River at Nijmegen 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 Deventer 17 14-9-2016 Living with Water: Urban Flood Plain Rotterdam 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 The Hague 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! .