DIKE ENGINEERING - Introduction to Soft Soil Geotechnique: Content, Context and Application - page 311

1. Flooding safety of dike rings must be ten times higher.
2. The load of new investments on unfavourable locations must be carried by
those who have the benefit and not the society as a whole.
3. Developments in river beds may not disturb the discharge capacity.
4. Use the concept building with nature for the North Sea coastal protection (sand
nourishment.
5. Protection of the Wadden mud flats (nature protectorate) in an international
context.
6. In due time, replacement of the Eastern Scheldt barrier with improving the tidal
climate in the estuary.
7. Western Scheldt remains open and dikes will be strengthened accordingly.
8. Furnish the closed south-west estuaries for river water retention to decrease salt
intrusion.
9. Complete the space-for-river projects accommodating higher river discharges.
10. A Rhine river closure system.
11. Improvements of coastal infrastructure allowing for a level rise of 1.5 m in the
lake Ijssel.
12. Political: a special governmental task manager and a parliamentary theme
committee charged with the execution of the plan (expected period 2010 -
2050), financial: a special Delta fund (expected an extra 1 to 2 billion euro per
year), and judicial: essential issues laid down in a special Delta law.
In 2009, following up the recommendations, the government installed a Delta
Commissioner for a period of 7 year with the mandate to execute the complex
Delta program in close cooperation with ministries, water boards, provinces and
municipalities. The works involved will undoubtedly ask the best skills and
experience of the geotechnical profession.
Space for the river
The residents in the river region experienced anxious times in 1993 and 1995.
The water levels were extremely high and the dikes just managed to hold. A
quarter of a million people had to be evacuated. Extremely high river discharges
will occur more frequently in the future and for this reason, it was decided to
ensure that the rivers could discharge the forecast greater volumes of water without
flooding. In 2007, the Government approved the Space for the River Plan, carried
by 17 partners (provinces, water boards, municipalities, RWS) under responsibility
of the Ministry. Total cost is 2.3 billion euros. This Plan has the following
objectives:
- By 2015, the branches of the Rhine will cope with a discharge capacity of
16,000 m 3 of water per second without flooding.
- Measures implemented to increase safety will also improve the overall
environmental quality of the river region.
- The extra room the rivers will need in the coming decades to cope with higher
discharges due to the forecast climate changes, will remain permanently
available.
At 39 locations in the Rhine delta, one or more of the following measures is being
implemented to create more space for the river and reduce high water levels