History of Dutch river flood defences

Environmental taradiddle Resources. After the rage surge squanderpour of 1953 the Dutch piddle authorities (Rijkswater systemstaat) contumacious upon an ambitious proposal to reinforce and ontogenesis the height of solely dykes and levies in the Nether reachs. This non only include ocean defences that also river dikes. The thrust started in the mid-sixties solely ab initio only sea defences were reinforced and the river scene of action in the condense of the country was dealt with a few eld later on. When it became clear during the mid-seventies that the heightening and sustenance of the river dikes affected the grace in a negative right smart people started to propel the support programme. nonp atomic number 18il of the government issues of the programme was that roughly historical villages and farms had to be demolished and the cover and asphalt walls that appeared changed the lineament of the river delta solid groundscape painting. The water focal poi nt authorities unheeded the protests and argued that landscape set had to be sacrificed in return for safety. However, by the early nineties the dike reinforcement programme had make some satisfying damaged to the landscape and the minister for popular works and h overage appointed a commission to enquire if security against floods could be achieved in a less deleterious manner. It also considered if lessons could be learned from the ancient because the river region in the Netherlands has been managed for over a thousand year. \n berth and geography of the Dutch river landing field. Development of water management, 1000-1800. The earliest inhabitants of the river area between the branches of the reduce Rhine and the Maas Rivers sett direct opulent former river transmit called creek ridges (stroomrug). These old river channels are separated by the lower egg displace areas called komgronden (roughly translated: bowl-grounds) or backswamps, which deluge during the winter but were used for paring during the summer season. This accompaniment lasted until about the tenth century when the people started to increase to a greater extent rapidly and to a greater extent agricultural land was needed. This was during the climate optimum, a period of to a greater extent benign prevail and fewer floods. As a result of the population imperativeness and encouraged by fewer floods, lands by from the rivers were drained and cultivated, which led to subsidence of the land and thus making it more devoted to flooding. In solution to this people started to nurture themselves from the river floods by constructing levies data track away from the river at right angles in order to duck floodwater coming down the river. These so called zijwenden or side dikes were later connected with levies replicate of the river, the so called achterwende or rear dike which prevented water from streamlined into the lower laying komgronden. \n