Netherlands returns some of itself to the waters
The towheaded lad plugging the dike, symbol of
Holland's ancient determination to defy tide and storm, is loosening his finger
just a bit.
In what amounts to a sea change for a country that is essentially built on reclaimed land, the Netherlands is quietly surrendering some of its hard-won former seabed, river bottoms and swamp back to the waters.
The government has begun acquiring thousands of acres of agricultural land and industrial strips along major waterways that would be used as flood plain in periods of high water. Dikes guarding these stretches of river will be lowered, repositioned, or, in some cases, removed.
In dry times, the flats could be used for agriculture, or even for envisioned "floatable" factories and housing.
But when the rivers swell from winter rains, the land would serve as a natural buffer zone, thus softening the fury of the water by allowing it to spread, lessening the risk of a disastrous breaching of the dikes.
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After centuries of protecting itself from sea storms and river floods, solely with "hard" barriers, such as dikes and dams, the Netherlands is now endeavoring to make itself "climate-proof." The plan involves greener, more resilient techniques to cope with the accelerated rise of rivers and sea levels that many climatologists expect to come with global warming.
I alluded to this solution during Hurricane Katrina. Now, more details are reaching print as the program proceeds. The Army Corps of Engineers is completely up-to-date on these proposals. Will we ever see any of these offered as solutions for New Orleans?
Posted: Mon - December 5, 2005 at 08:05 PM