|
All messages |
september 200705-09-2007NL: strengthening 'weak links' in Dutch coast begins Today, deputy minister Huizinga of the Dutch ministry for transport, public works and water management has given the official starting signal for strengthening the Dutch coast at the town of Noordwijk and Flaauwe Werk (Ouddorp). These coastal defences are the first eight of ten "weak links" (Dutch: Zwakke Schakels") to be strengthened (see map).
Until 2015 the ministry will allocate a total sum of € 742 million to improve the coastal defences for both flood safety and spatial quality. Besides Noordwijk and Ouddorp, dune areas and dikes in North of Holland, near Scheveningen, the Westland, Southwest of Walcheren and the Western part of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (see map). Despite the succesful yearly nourishment programmes to hold the coastline at the 1990 position, these locations are expected to fail to meet the existing safety standards in 2020. The underlying plan studies for strengthening the coast, initiated by the relevant provinces, have combined coastal safety with other functions in an integrated way. For instance, the renovation of boulevards or new beach access, cycling routes and nature facilities. In the majority of the weak links has been chosen for seaward-directed strengthening solutions, in combination with large scale sand nourishments. The weak links programme is only one of the programmes of the Dutch ministry. Also public works in the Meuse river, the flood defence strengthening programme and the Space for Rivers programme are currently being implemented. In total, about € 5 billion is invested in flood safety in the Netherlands until 2015.  Sources: Delfland waterboard, Waterforum |
)){kind=link}