Safety for four million people in the Dutch delta

Dutch Water Program

Room for the River
Facts and figures
The water in the rivers reached
extremely high levels in 1993
and 1995. 250,000 people had
to be evacuated in 1995.

Budget
2.3 billion

Planning
Start: 2007
Completion: 2015

Current maximum discharge

capacity
15,000 m3/sec

Discharge capacity on
completion
16,000 m3/sec
The Netherlands has a population of over
16million in an area (including the territorial
seaand surface water) of just 41,528 km2.
TheNetherlands lies in a delta, which enables
three major rivers: the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt,
to flow out to sea. Without dikes andcoastal
dunes, around two thirds of theNetherlands
would be flooded. Flood protection is therefore
avery high priority in water management for
theDutch Ministry of Infrastructure
andtheEnvironment.
The cadence of Dutch history is marked by
floodsand the response to them. In 1993and
1995, theDutch rivers swelled tounprecedented
levels. Large tracts of farmland were inundated;
250,000people were evacuated. 250,000
peopleand one million head of livestock were
evacuated. As a consequence, the Dutch
government took measures to protect the
riversregion against flooding. The approach,
Room forthe River, was born.
Natural flood plain restored
Room for the River, the implementation of
whichstarted in 2007, restores the rivers natural
flood plain in places where it is leastharmful in
Work in progress lowering groynes
order to protect those areas that need to be
defended. By 2015, through aseries of more
than30measures, costing2,3 billion euro, we
will havelowered and broadened our flood
plainandcreated river diversions and temporary
water storage areas. We will restore marshy
riverine landscapes to serve once again as natural
water storage sponges and provide biodiversity
and aesthetic and recreational values.
Local and global
Provinces, municipalities, water boards and Rijks
waterstaat are cooperating in the implementation
of theRoom for the River Program. The Minister
ofInfrastructure andthe Environment bears
theoverall responsibility for the Program. Also
internationally Room for the River collaborates
with its neighbour countries. Thecountries
through which the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt
rivers flow, cooperate closely on flood protection.
These countries are The Netherlands, Belgium,
France and Germany. Room for the River also
shares this experience with other countries all
over the world, and highly values the experience
obtained from these international exchanges.
 ZOMERBEDVERLAGING
BENEDEN-IJSSEL
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TIELER- EN CULEMBORGERWAARD current projects
ZUIDERKLIP RIVIERVERRUIMING
OVERDIEPSE POLDER
WATERBERGING
KADEVERLAGING
BIESBOSCH
additional reduction
VOLKERAK-ZOOMMEER
DIJKVERBETERING DIJKVERBETERING achieved in water levels
AMER / DONGE BERGSCHE MAAS /
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for neighbouring projects
means implementation
no longer required
ZOOMMEER

Bergen op Zoom

Eindhoven

How we are making room for the river

Deepening summer bed Water storage Dike relocation

The river bed is deepened by excavating the The Volkerak-Zoommeer lake provides for Relocating a dike land inwards increases
surface layer of the river bed. The deepened temporary water storage when exceptional thewidth of the floodplains and provides
river bed provides more room for the river conditions result in the combination of a more room for the river.
closed storm surge barrier and high river
discharges to the sea.

Strengthening dikes High-water channel Lowering of floodplains

Dikes are strengthened in areas in which A high-water channel is a diked area Lowering (excavating) an area of the
creating more room for the river is not thatbranches off from the main river floodplain increases the room for the river
anoption todischarge some of the water via during high water levels.
a separate route.

Lowering groynes Depoldering Removing obstacles

Groynes stabilise the location of the river The dike on the river side of a polder is Removing or modifying obstacles in
and ensure that the river remains at the relocated land inwards and water can flow the river bed where possible, or modifying
correct depth. However, at high water levels into the polder at high water levels. them, increases the flow rate of the water
groynes can form an obstruction to the flow inthe river.
of water in the river. Lowering groynes
increases theflow rate of the water in
theriver.

www.roomfortheriver.nl