Netherlands Wing

The Netherlands is a low-lying country where the rivers, the IJsselmeer and the North Sea provide an abundance of water. The delta must protect itself against flooding and ensure a sufficient fresh-water supply. The Netherlands must also prepare itself for rising sea levels, soil subsidence and higher temperatures. The Delta Programme is designed to rise to these challenges. The knowledge issues from this Delta Programme return in the National Water and Climate Knowledge and Innovation Programme (abbreviated to NKWK in Dutch), which has been operational since 2015. 

The NKWK comprises of fourteen research tracks, in which government authorities, knowledge institutes and companies collaborate on pilot projects, topical issues and long-term developments. The NKWK serves as the Dutch Wing of the Delta Alliance.
>> Read more: NKWK programme
>> Read more: NKWK research tracks 

The Dutch Delta

The Netherlands is a river delta. In the past the rivers flowed to the sea without restraint. Today they are largely contained by groynes and dykes.

The current rivers area consists of the river basins of the Meuse, IJssel, Scheldt and Rhine.

In the west there is a densely populated coastal zone that is home to the Randstad conurbation – the economic heart of the Netherlands.

It has a population of 9 million people and accounts for 70 percent of the total income earned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

Coordinator

Activities / News 

  • Forward looking decision making in the Dutch delta
    Dr Wieke Pot defended in March 2020 her PhD thesis ‘Deciding for tomorrow today; what makes governmental decisions about water infrastructure forward looking’. She addresses the criteria for, and measurements of, a forward-looking decision that define whether a governmental investment decision can qualify as forward looking. Furthermore, she looks into enabling conditions and clusters the strategies and mechanisms into five main interaction processes that shape the extent to which governmental investment decisions about water infrastructure become forward looking. The work introduces a new theory of forward-looking decision making. The theory can be used to assess, explain, and improve the extent to which governments make forward-looking decisions about their water infrastructure. Applying this to infrastructure investment decisions reveals the extent to which, and the reasons why, governments use methods and tools to support decisions about long-term solutions and long-term problems.
    Wageningen University & Research, Monday 14 December 2020
  • Strategic Delta Planning: Strengthening strategic delta planning processes in Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Vietnam and beyond
    The Strategic Delta Planning research project (2014-2020), aiming at a better understanding of the dynamics of delta planning, is a collaboration between 11 Bangladesh, Dutch and Vietnamese organisations, and looks back and presents its major findings for strategic planners and other delta professionals.
    NWO funded programme 'Urbanising Deltas of the World', Monday 23 December 2019
  • The Sand Motor
    5 years of buidling with nature: Every year, the sea takes sand from the Dutch coast. Every five years, Rijkswaterstaat replenishes the shortfall by depositing sand on the beaches and in the offshore area. If we didn't, the west of the Netherlands, which is below sea level, would be exposed to the sea. The sand replenishment operations every five years do the job, but can we protect the coast in more sustainable and natural ways?
  • Marker Wadden
    Natuurmonumenten (Dutch Society for Nature Conservation) is going to restore one of the largest freshwater lakes in western Europe by constructing islands, marshes and mud flats from the sediments that have accumulated in the lake in recent decades. These 'Marker Wadden' will form a unique ecosystem that will boost biodiversity in the Netherlands.
  • Blue Energy
    Blue Energy stands for the generation of power from the difference in salt concentration of salt and fresh water. A test set-up is currently operating in Breezanddijk (Afsluitdijk), which we are using to gain knowledge about this new method for power generation. The power station uses water from the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer. If the tests are successful, we may upscale the project to create a demonstration installation.
  • Tidal Technology Center in Grevelingendam
    When completed in 2017/2018, Tidal Technology Center at the Grevelingendam (TTC-GD) will provide owners of new technologies in tidal energy with the means to test, certify and showcase their products in fully operational tidal context. It will also provide a demonstration setup of 4 turbines capable of producing 0.5 – 1.0 MWe of energy.
  • I-Storm, International Network for Storm Surge Barriers
    The I-STORM network brings together professionals that build, manage, operate and maintain Storm Surge Barriers. I-STORM aims to continuously improve standards of operation, management and performance in order to reduce the risk of severe flooding of people, property and places around the world, by facilitating knowledge exchange amongst members.
  • Interreg project Building with Nature 
    Sustainable North Sea Region, protecting against climate change and preserving the environment
  • Dutch Water Act
    The new Water Act has created a framework for the modernisation of Dutch water management required for the coming decades. The integration of a number of authorisations will reduce administrative burden for citizens and businesses. The Water Act links up well with the new Spatial Planning Act, which will enhance the relationship with spatial environmental policy.

> Read more: Activities / News archive

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