The Sigma Plan How do you want to live along the river Scheldt? CONTENTS INTRODUCTION For centuries, the river Scheldt and its tributaries have contributed to making the Belgian region of Flanders a good place to live. Our region has plenty of industry, which we owe to the Scheldt. But there is also a downside. At times, (bad) flooding can cause a lot of misery in Flanders. The Sigma Plan aims to change this. By creating more space for the tidal rivers, the Sigma Plan helps everyone keep their feet dry. At the same time, the plan also creates stunning nature areas that are always a pleasure to behold. In this brochure, you will find out what the Sigma Plan has in store! ZENNEGAT 04 11 18 1. The origin of the 4. Nature that is 8. The projects Sigma Plan both beneficial and breathtaking 20 The Scheldt quays in Antwerp 06 22 Bornem Cluster 14 23 Upper Dyle 2. The Sigma Plan 24 Kalkense Meersen today 5. Enjoying the water Cluster 25 Demer Valley 26 Building and 09 16 maintaining levees 3. Good protection 6. The Scheldt, life vein 28 Dyle Estuary against flooding for the economy 30 Dorent 31 Durme Valley BERGENMEERSEN THE LITTLE BITTERN 32 Hedwige Prosper 17 Project and Doel Polder 7. An eye for 33 Lippenbroek agriculture 34 Nete and Kleine Nete MASTHEAD Copyright images: De Vlaamse Waterweg 36 Polders of Kruibeke nv, Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos (Agency Publisher: De Vlaamse Waterweg nv, Sea for Nature and Forest), Bart Lasuy, Daniel 38 Lillo Polder Scheldt Department, Civil Engineer Wim Geeraerts (ID/photo agency), Henderyckx 39 Scheldt Meander Dauwe, Lange Kievitstraat 111-113, box 44, Fotografie, Vilda WATER SAFETY 2018 Antwerp Ghent Wetteren Legal deposit number: D/2016/13.826/2 40 Schouselbroek Copywriting and production: Pantarein in a consortium with Tractebel Published: August 2017 NATURE 41 Grote Nete Valley Printing: Artoos 42 Vlassenbroek 43 Wal-Zwijn DISCOVER 02 Sigma Brochure • 2017 03 1 The origin of the Sigma Plan Take an exceptionally strong northwesterly storm and add a spectacular spring tide to the mix. The water will rise to unprecedented levels, creating a downright dangerous situation. This is what happened in 1953 and 1976, culminating in terrible floods. To prevent such disasters from happening in the future, the government launched the Sigma Plan in 1977. Storm on the 1953: a calamity in the 1976: Flanders flooded Western Scheldt. to their roofs. The disastrous storm surge barrier was built will create a safer, more Netherlands again flood of 1976accelerated because the cost outweighed accessible, and natural Scheldt The storm surge of 1953 is a In 1976, another merciless matters. the benefits. A chain of flood River. The Development grim chapter in the history of the storm tide struck the Scheldt control areas, however, is a Outline mainly strives for a Low Countries. The Dutch Delta again. In addition to two The government understood more secure option. sustainable and balanced region was hardest hit, with 1,836 fatalities, the material damage that it had to provide better development of the river, with The flooded deadly casualties as a result of in the Scheldt basis was flood protection. And so it At the time, the government’s attention to all its functions. town of flooding. In Flanders, 18 people substantial. In Antwerp, the launched the Sigma Plan, an vision on water management Ruisbroek died. The Dutch government water levels surged to close to ambitious and large-scale was already considered www.vnsc.eu (1976). devised the Delta Plan, a 8 metres, or 3.5 metres above project to guarantee people’s quite progressive. While the programme of construction the average high water level. safety. neighbouring countries focused projects that included raising The polders to the north of on raising levees and building and reinforcing levees as well as Antwerp and the Land of Waas Three measures flood barriers, Flanders opted building dams and flood barriers region were also affected by The original Sigma Plan was for a more natural approach to to protect the Netherlands the rising water. In Oorderen, devised in 1977 and comprised water management, creating against the rising water. the turbulent water broke three measures: 1) stronger more space for the river. through the Scheldt Levee, and higher levees, 2) flood The Dutch flood barriers are creating a 12 metre wide control areas to absorb excess Development currently able to withstand water breach. Lillo and Hingene water, and 3) a storm surge Outline 2010 levels that only occur once in suffered the same fate. Three barrier in Oosterweel. The plan The Sigma Plan 10,000 years. Belgium enacted quarters of the municipality was Belgium’s answer to the is part of the the Polder Act, to assure the of Zandvliet was under water. threat of future storm tides Scheldt Estuary future maintenance of the In Ruisbroek, along the Rupel and excessive precipitation in Development levees. The Civil Defence was River, the Vliet Levee burst, the higher areas. Today, the Outline 2010. This also established to offer fast and completely flooding the village levee construction projects and combined package targeted assistance in case of and leaving the inhabi tants flood control areas of the first of mea sures and flooding. with no option than to flee plan have been completed. No projects in Flanders 04 Sigma Brochure • 2017 05 PAGINA HOOFDING overflow. And that rivers don’t we need to use it parsimoniously ongoing in several other take well to being realigned or and in various ways. regions and new flood control contained by levees. We also areas will be completed in the know that safety and nature Proven use short term. The Sigma Plan development are inextricably During the many severe storms should be completed by 2030. linked. Since 2005, the of recent years, the first Sigma We launch new projects every Government of Flanders has Plan areas have already amply five years. Wetlands in the perfected the Sigma Plan, by proven their use. Works are Kalkense Meersen taking all these insights into Cluster. account. A multi-faceted river The updated Sigma Plan aims to create a sustainable and robust Scheldt. Under this plan, all the river’s functions can Hikers and birdwatchers really appreciate the boardwalk in be harmoniously developed, Bergenmeersen. now and in the future. These functions are founded on four cornerstones, namely safety, nature, leisure, and economy. Protecting against flooding is 2 the first priority of the Sigma Plan. At the same time, the The blue-headed Government of Flanders will The Sigma Plan wagtail. Nature restore and further develop development is nature along the river banks. This one of the four is vital to meet the conservation cornerstones of the today objectives of Natura 2000 Sigma Plan. sites imposed by Europe. The The Sigma Plan originally started out as a water Sigma Plan also improves the Who? management plan. Since then, it has come to encompass potential for recreation on and along the river Scheldt and much more. The objective was to create a safe Scheldt The Sigma Plan is a project of the its tributaries. It also focuses region, with attention to nature while also developing assets Government of Flanders. Waterway on the economic functions of manager De Vlaamse Waterweg nv for leisure and economy. the Scheldt Region, including coordinates the Sigma Plan and is tasked shipping and agriculture. A with water management. De Vlaamse flanking agricultural policy helps Waterweg nv works with the Agentschap Update needed experience more frequent and of the original Sigma Plan and compensates farmers who voor Natuur en Bos (Agency for Nature Scientific insights have evolved. extreme weather conditions. therefore are not sufficient to are adversely affected by the and Forest) to achieve the conservation We now know that sea levels In addition to this, more and guarantee our safety. interventions of the Sigma Plan. objectives. We also have joined forces will rise even more because more people moved to natural with local governments, farmers’ of climate change, thereby valleys, building houses in Our views on water In brief, the updated Sigma Plan organisations, nature associations, the increasing the likelihood of a places that are vulnerable to management have also evolved is designed to create a Scheldt local population, hunters, anglers, the storm tide. Flanders, one of the flooding. That is why the floods over time. We now know that a with multiple functions. Open tourism industry, the hospitality industry, three Belgian regions, will also take their toll. The measures river needs space to flow and space is scarce in Flanders. So and several other partners to implement the Sigma Plan. 06 Sigma Brochure • 2017 07 PAGINA HOOFDING 3 The overflow levee Good protection in Paardeweide (Kalkense Meersen Cluster) doing its against flooding job. Tidal rivers such as the river Scheldt are not without risk. Extra high water levels may result in flooding, during a storm tide or when there is a lot of precipitation. The Sigma Plan is based on a smart concept to increase safety. The Sigma Plan protects those areas that are more reduces the chances of Flanders against flooding. upstream along the River breaches in the levees. It does this by: Scheldt. The tides are stronger • raising and reinforcing the in the section between Antwerp Relieving the pressure river levees; and the Western Scheldt. There The polder is literally given back • giving the river more space the levee height has been to the river with the process in flood control areas; raised to 11 metres TAW. of depoldering. How do we • reducing the pressure do this? We build a new levee in extreme situations by Robust water collection further inland.