Water, land, people

[Forostar]

I am not sure if people are interested in water management but I like to post some recent developments from the Netherlands here. And (please read) after that, I’m curious for your situation.

----------
Wide ranging intervention for water security urgent:
Decisiveness and investment needed

The Government of the Netherlands requested an independent Committee of State (the Delta Committee) to give its advice on flood protection and flood risk management in the Netherlands for the next century, while keeping the country an attractive place to live, work and invest. Large parts of the Netherlands lie below sea level and are even now experiencing the effects of climate change and sea level rise. The Netherlands delta is safe, but preserving this safety over the long term involves action now. The Committee’s chairman, Cees Veerman, presents the advice to the Cabinet on 3 September.

The Netherlands is the delta (with a coastline approximately 350 kilometers long) where major European rivers like the Rhine and the Meuse flow into the North Sea. Problems occur where the rivers meet the sea if the rivers have to discharge more water while the sea level rises – both effects of climate change. The excess water in the rivers cannot flow into the sea when the sea level rises, leading to a drastically increased risk of flooding in large areas of the Netherlands.

These regions lie along the coast and the rivers and are protected by dunes and dikes. Most of the population (nearly 11 million) lives in the threatened area, which is also the fulcrum of the Dutch economy: Schiphol Airport, the Port of Rotterdam, Amsterdam, the capital, and The Hague, seat of government. Roughly 65% of GNP is produced in the lowest region of the Netherlands, in some places several meters below sea level. The Netherlands is also home to a rich natural environment and has a wealth of history and culture, none of which can be lost. The Netherlands is safe, but has to start work on the future now.

The Delta Committee has made twelve recommendations to ‘future proof’ the Netherlands, even over the very long term, securing the country against flooding, assured of adequate fresh water, while remaining an attractive place to live. The basic issue is security, but the advice interfaces with life and work, agriculture, ecology, recreation and leisure, landscape, infrastructure and energy.

Together, the twelve recommendations make up the Delta Programme, which must be financially guaranteed by a Delta Fund. A new Delta Act will provide the legislative anchor for the political-administrative organisation for the improvement of water security and the Delta Fund.

English summary of the advice

Twelve recommendations for the future. (more info here):

01. Flood protection level
02. New urban development plans
03. Areas outside the dikes
04. North Sea coast
05. Wadden Sea area
06. South-western Delta: Eastern Scheldt
07. South-western Delta: Western Scheldt
08. South-western Delta: Krammer–Volkerak Zoommeer
09. The major rivers area
10. Rijnmond (mouth of the river Rhine)
11. IJsselmeer area
12. Political-administrative, legal, financial
----------

So for the second time in history the Delta Committee gave advice to the Dutch government, in order to protect our country for future water threats.

The first time was after the North Sea flood of 1953.

After this major natural disaster many plans were made and executed: The Delta Works


If I may ask: How do you guys look at a possible water threat?

Do you live “low”, do you live near a river, lake or sea? Do you feel your country is dealing well with water?

I am curious for your feedback. Thanks in advance!

 

[Invader]

Well, I'm not below water level as you Foro, but I live on the coast (about 2 km from the actual coastline and probably max. 10 m above water level), but as far as I know there have never been major floods which would have threatened the area I live in.  But then, most of the country is flat and close to water level, and the population is concentrated around the coast, so a major rise in water level would fuck up the country pretty well.  But then the same rise in water level would probably put the Netherlands completely under water.

 

[Forostar]

Thanks Invader!

But then, most of the country is flat and close to water level, and the population is concentrated around the coast, so a major rise in water level would fuck up the country pretty well.  But then the same rise in water level would probably put the Netherlands completely under water.

I am not sure about that, it depends how fast and how much in height that rise would be. The problem in the Netherlands (and in Finland?) is that the land is sinking as well. If not mistaken, this goes slower than the rise of the water level, but important is the sum of both factors.

 

[Deano]

As I'm sure you may be aware Foro, the U.S. city of New Orleans is suffering (and will suffer) from similar problems with global rising water levels. Add to that its prime location as a Hurricane target and you can imagine the problems that will have to be dealt with there. I looked up the population ranking for New Orleans in the U.S. over the last 30 years and you can see how much it has dipped since 1980... with a slight rise (at least in ranking) in 2007. They are as follows:

U.S. rank in 1980: 27th

U.S. rank in 1990: 32nd

U.S. rank in 2000: 34th

U.S. rank in 2005: 38th

U.S. rank in 2007: 37th

I have been to this city several times, the first time being in 1995, I can say for sure that the population dip has grown and the condition of the city has worsened since this time.

I feel it's useful to contrast the 2 regions because they have similar issues but how things will be dealt will have to be extremely different. As you mentioned, this delta in the Netherlands is the bread basket for the country and there is not much land in the rest of your country to relocate resources to. The state of Louisiana itself has to be roughly twice the size of the Netherlands so any resources and industries New Orleans provides could easily be relocated. The effect on the country as a whole if we lost this city would be negligible, the only real loss there being Marti Gras. (Keep in mind, I'm not trying to downplay how tragic it would be if New Orleans turned into a ghost town, just trying to contrast the situations).

Western nations are coming along nicely in efforts to combat global warming and the subsequent consequences, I know we still have a long way to go but at least the movement and urgency of the situation gains more attention every year. This needs to be a complete global effort however and we really need to get nations like China and India on board with this. Again, I know the arguments about stifling growing economies but as a species I think there are enough smart people among us to figure this out.

Let me know if there are any charitable foundations that are there to help combat this problem in the Netherlands; I give to charities every year but never to the same ones twice. I would be happy to send a donation to help with this problem in your country next year.

 

[Forostar]

Thanks Dean. That was very informative. I don't think there will be charity, everyone's tax will be a tiny bit higher I guess.

Have you been aware of the relations between Holland and New Orleans? Read on, if you like:

Dutch help the 'Big Easy' face the future
by Anton Foek / 04-09-2008

Hurricane Gustav has passed and New Orleans is turning back into a city again as its inhabitants return home. Given the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina three years ago, you can understand why most locals weren't taking any chances, and over 90 percent of them fled the city.

Since the floods of 2005, which killed 1500 people and caused 80 billion US dollars' worth of damage, New Orleans has been working to rebuild its communities and its defences, and Dutch expertise has been part of that.

Dr Mathijs van Ledden didn't hesitate for a single moment when he was asked, in 2007, to travel to New Orleans from Holland, to see if he could help the US Army Corps of Engineers out of a problem.

Katrina has left many scars on the 'Big Easy' 

"It's now or never", he thought - and so he and his family packed their bags and left for New Orleans. Life is sweet in the 'Big Easy', as the city is also called. The food is superb, thanks to the historic links with Spain and France, as is the music and most of the other arts.

Beautiful position
The downside is that "Nouvelle Orleans" - founded in 1717 - was built on a bend in the Mississippi river. Beautiful position, but against the advice of engineers at the time, who predicted flooding ahead. And they were right.
The US Army Corps had been called by the administration in Washington DC to bring order to the chaos after Hurricane Katrina had struck and devastated the area, leaving almost 2000 dead and many more injured or fleeing the region.

Mathijs van Ledden in New Orleans 

Great tradition
The corps knew that Holland had a great tradition and experience in building levees and water-resisting dykes, being not only below sea level itself but also devastated several times by sea water since the beginning of the 11th century. This happened most recently in 1953 when 2000 Dutch citizens lost their lives in the province of Zeeland.

So, members of the corps decided to visit the Netherlands and establish contacts at government level. Through the Netherlands' embassy in Washington DC and the US embassy in The Hague they managed to touch base with a number of Dutch companies. There are three companies from Holland now operating in and around New Orleans.

On a bright and sunny Monday morning we met with Dr Mathijs van Ledden, who promised to drive us around and show us the results of his presence and work in the area. We visited the Lower 9th Ward - the worst hit neighbourhood in New Orleans during the 2005 storm.

Avoid the mistakes
Scores of volunteers from all over the US have been giving their time, energy and intellectual capacity to the task of rebuilding the city; trying to avoid the mistakes made during and after Katrina for when the next storm hits.

Van Ledden showed us the rebuilding and construction sites, the leftovers of the old devastation and the new levees that held their own against the recent Hurricane Gustav.

He is optimistic about the future of New Orleans but says the region needs both direct investment and, most importantly, to have its levees maintained in top condition. He admits:

"That will cost billions and billions of dollar, but it is equally important for the security and safety of the citizens."

Mathijs van Ledden (white shirt, foreground) helping to rebuild New Orleans

Fearing the worst
Not everyone in the region is convinced that the new levees are going to last. Several concerned citizens fear the worst and demand higher levees and better-constructed dykes which are guaranteed to last hundreds of years. As one man commented:
   
"Like the ones you have in Holland where people know they are safe for the coming centuries, thanks to the applied knowledge of your engineers. That is what we should have here in the US. And better politicians... "

A little prayer
Van Ledden is convinced that New Orleans, ol' Big Easy, will survive, although, according to him, there's no harm in a little prayer before the work is finished.   

The defences passed the Hurricane-Gustav test but it was, by most accounts, an easy one. The storm - previously descibed as ‘a nuclear bomb' by former leader Fidel Castro in Cuba -didn't amount to much more than a tropical storm by the time it reached New Orleans.

It remains to be seen whether New Orleans could survive a repeat of the calamity of three years ago, and whether there is the political will to stump up enough cash to make sure it does.

 

[Deano]

I didn't know that but am not at all surprised that the Dutch helped in the Hurricane Katrina recovery and rebuilding efforts. I know I have mentioned this before but I have been very impressed with the work of Dutch engineers; having seen the results of their work and efforts in transforming Afghanistan.