Coastal Zone Management in the Netherlands

4 HWRU: Coastal ecosystemsChallenges: Population density from Misdorp 2011... 5 HWRU: Coastal ecosystemsChallenges: economic activities beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/ Jan vd Broeke H

Coastal Zone Management in the Netherlands

Erik de Ruyter van Steveninck with contributions by Mick van der Wegen and Frank van der Meulen

The Netherlands:

a delta landscape, penetrated by

rivers, subject tosea and river

flooding

(Working together with

water-Findings of the

Deltacommissie, 2008)

HWRU: Coastal ecosystems 3

The Netherlands:

• 26% below sea level

• 60% threatened by floods

• >1250 km coastline

4 HWRU: Coastal ecosystems

Challenges: Population density

(from Misdorp 2011)

5 HWRU: Coastal ecosystems

Challenges: economic activities (beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/)

Jan vd Broeke

Harry van Reeken

Bart van Eyck

HWRU: Coastal ecosystems 6

Challenges: climate change

More summer

drought

Salt intrusion

Decreased

river discharge

Increased river discharge

First priority:

protection from floods

and erosion

From Misdorp 2011

Developing insight and available resources

(beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/Bart van Eyck) (beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/Rens Jacobs)

Maeslantkering (beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/)

Disadvantages of hard structures

• Impacts on hydromorphological processes

• Irreversible

• High construction, maintenance and operation costs

• False sense of safety-increasing risks

Risk = Probability x Effect

Examples of CZM in the Netherlands (from Misdorp 2011)

• Building with nature:

– Sand nourishment > sand

engine

– Compensation measures

– Resilient coastal defense

• Room for the river

• Water quality

• Delta planning

Sand nourishment:

work with nature

Traditional: groynes

work against nature

(beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/Harry van Reeken)

(beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/H v Reeken)

(beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/J vd Broeke (beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/

Sand nourishment: the sand engine

(beeldbank.rws.nl, Rijkswaterstaat/Joop van Houdt)

Spanjaards dune constructed

by beach nourishment to

compensate for loss of high

quality (Natura 2000) habitat

due to harbour extension (EU

Resilient coastal defense

Room for the river

• the goal of the Dutch Room for the River Programme

is to give the river more room to be able to manage higher water levels

• >30 locations, measures will be taken that give the river space to flood safely

• measures will be designed in such a way that they improve the quality of the immediate surroundings

How to make room for the river:

Room for the river

Rhine Meuse drainage area

Rhine and Meuse

as source of

coastal pollution

(from Misdorp 2011)

North Sea:

eutrophication

(Min Transport & Public Works 1991)

Spatial and temporal distribution of cadmium

in sediments of the Rhine-Meuse delta (Misdorp 2011)

Rehabilitation of the River Rhine

1 Stepwise gentlemen agreements government and industry

2 Legislative enforcement

1950: International Commission for Protection of the Rhine

• improve chemical => ecological state river and later also North Sea

• ecological rehabilitation, including fish migration (salmon)

2000: EU Water Framework Directive

• maintain and restoration of ecological status through Integrated River

Basin Management–including coastal waters

Climate change predictions (Working together with Findings of the Deltacommissie, 2008)

water-Delta programme (Working together with water-Findings of the Deltacommissie, 2008)

How to make the

Netherlands climate proof

over the very long time:

change and ecological

processes

Principles of CZM in the Netherlands

No separate CZM strategy, principles already integrated in policies:

1.decentralisation-regional and local approach within the

framework set by national government

2.building with nature-sediment-based measures for flood

protection preferred over artificial structures

3.participation-awareness of the various interests at stake

and good public support

4.international consultation-exchanging experience with

other coastal states through cooperation on international projects

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CZM in Europe

Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (2014):

• a legislative framework for maritime spatial planning,

integrated coastal maritime spatial planning and

integrated coastal management

This Directive supports the integrated management and

sustainable development of coastal and marine resources by means of:

• increasing coordination, reducing conflicts between

sectors and creating synergies

• increasing cross-border cooperation between EU countries

• encouraging investment by instilling clearer rules

• protecting the environment