The Dutch are doing more than putting their fingers in the dykes; the prospect of global warming and a melting Greenland has convinced the government in the Netherlands to spend $1.3 billion US per year over the next century on massive infrastructure projects. The reason is simple, as most readers know: One-quarter of this venerable European country lies below sea level.
The most obvious public works initiatives involve raising and enhancing the dykes and reinforcing storm barriers. But many other projects will be considered, including one that would move billions of tons of sand to extend the Dutch shoreline by a kilometer. These are just a few of many decisions the Dutch government will need to take over next few years, according to a recently commissioned government report.
In addition to remaking the Dutch infrastructure, the government plans to bring modern technology to bear. Dutch engineers are working with IBM to test a system of sensors that could eventually replace the army of volunteers that now fans out to inspect the dykes during storms. IBM is also creating a software system that collects and analyzes weather, rainfall and water-level data, so local governments and emergency responders will have the best information available when floods threaten and evacuation becomes necessary.
“We have the best system of flood protection in the world today, but we have to start preparing for the future,” says Cees Veerman, a former agriculture minister who headed a recent government commission on climate change mitigation. Veerman’s expert panel has told the government to prepare for a sea level rise of 4 feet over the next 90 years, and 13 feet by 2200. “Climate change and rising sea levels will affect our coastal defenses and our rivers… We must take action now to ensure that our citizens are safe in the centuries to come.”
As the risk of sounding like Doctor Doom, construction companies that specialize in flood protection will find no shortage of opportunities in the years ahead. I believe that many countries would be wise to follow the Dutch lead, in more ways than one. Not only are the Dutch acting early, but they have also pioneered most of the best engineering solutions for flood abatement.
Florida, Louisiana, Nova Scotia… are you listening?
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* The original story — quite detailed — appeared in The Wall Street Journal but it now appears to be only available to subscribers. My apologies for not including a link.
The two photos are from the great North Sea Flood of 1953 which killed almost 1,835 people in the Netherlands, as well as 307 people in Great Britain.
Wow, a government that is actually being proactive rather than reactive. As someone who works for the State of Florida, it would be nice to see our government be proactive. Instead they just seem to react when there is a catastrophe. Whenever a state employee makes a suggestion that could save money in the future, they are just told we don’t have the money to spend on something that may happen in the future. They don’t seem to get that in the long-run, they will spend more money in the future.
Of course you seem to forget that the Netherlands are experiencing consequences of their own systematic program of “reclaiming the sea” that they started in the 17th century. That a quarter of their land lies below sea level should be no surprise, since it was that quarter that was drained to create more farmland.
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