Some reflections on the Dutch delta work, as seen on site

The Dutch delta work is a major social-technical response of the Dutch society and economy to coastal flood risk, clearly showed in the unforgettable flood event, early 1953. The core of this work is huge investments on water control infrastructures, aiming at reducing (as much as possible) coastal flood risk. What we can see nowadays as part of this delta work in Zeeland province are mega sea-dikes, sluice gates, embankment, and sophisticated river flow/level control systems along the coastline, especially at river mouths. Since its accomplishment, the Dutch delta work well served its purpose: effectively resolved the issues of coastal flood risk. At the same time, this mega investment shows the Netherland’s strong economic and engineering capacity; and equally important: people’s determination to create a safer living environment.

First reflection: Human land and water management seen as a layer superimposing on the natural landscape. At the landscape scale, I can relate very much the Dutch delta work to a layer of human’s management practices/infrastructure putting on top of the natural delta system. Once in place, this layer starts to modify the delta’s natural dynamics in ways that serves human’s wishes, in this case to reduce coastal flood risk. Of course there are also unwanted effects caused by this changed delta dynamics, like eutrophication caused by diminished tidal regime in regions after the sea-dikes. This idea of layering also triggers thinkings about alternatives, what if we put a different layer on this delta, how would such a layer look like?

Second reflection: History influences on Dutch delta approach, and issues of path dependencies. To me there is quite a strong influence of the Dutch’s long tradition of controlling water on the delta work. It looks like: from the countless years of water channelling, dikes construction and land reclamation, the ideology of controlling water emerged and solidified from generation to generation. And the delta work very well reflects this way of thinking. Then comes the question of path dependency. The water management history shows its role in shaping the basics of the current delta work, and the question then is: how this current work continues to shape the delta’s future. Is there any chance that this continuation could lead to a lock-in state, where the delta becomes so rigid that it becomes difficult to change? This way, the system becomes vulnerable to new risks.

Third reflection: Looking into the future, keep it or leave it? How long the current water management layer will last very much depends on its robustness in the future. As long as it ensures safety despite changes in sea level and hydro-climatic extremes, there are strong reasons to keep the system as it is. But this is also a matter of choice. The society might come up with other ideas, and people might start to think of changes, new ways to deal with water. Perhaps the emerging ideas of depoldering and natural tidal regime restoration are telling us something about the future of this delta?

May 20, 2014

Painting: The Rhone with Boats and a Bridge, Vincent van Gogh