In the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, Room for the River ( nl, Ruimte voor de Rivier, links=no) is a government design plan intended to address flood protection, master landscaping and the improvement of environmental conditions in the areas surrounding the Netherlands'

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...

s. The project was active from 2006–2015.

Overview

The

Rhine delta ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , sourc ...

experiences annual flooding. In 1993 and 1995, floods threatened to devastate regions surrounding the delta. In the neighbouring vicinity over 200,000 people were evacuated. Contrary to popular belief no dikes broke. Climate change is ongoing, and as the river floods each year the water distributes

sediment Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand ...

s throughout the

floodplain A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river which stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls, and which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.Goudi ...

which in turn reduces the space that was initially allowed for annual floods. In 2006 the Cabinet of the Netherlands proposed the Spatial Planning Key Decision (SPKD). The SPKD is a design plan for more highly innovated structures and the modification of existing structures in the immediate floodplain site. Meander Consultancy and Research Partners contributed to the site analysis and interpretation. The project was active from 2006 to 2015. The Room for the River project site encompasses four rivers: the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

, the

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a ...

, the Waal, and the

IJssel The IJssel (; nds-nl, Iessel(t) ) is a Dutch distributary of the river Rhine that flows northward and ultimately discharges into the IJsselmeer (before the 1932 completion of the Afsluitdijk known as the Zuiderzee), a North Sea natural harbour. ...

. The project area is in the Netherlands, but morphological impacts extend upstream into Germany, portions of France and Belgium, and may reach to the Rhine headwaters in Switzerland over time. The design presents an integrated spatial plan with the main objectives of flood protection, master landscaping and the improvement of overall environmental conditions. Completion of a basic package of forty projects is foreseen for 2015, with a budget of €2.2 billion. Measures in the plan include: placing and moving dykes, de

polder A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The three types of polder are: # Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the seabed # Flood plains ...

ing, creating and increasing the depth of flood channels, reducing the height of the

groyne A groyne (in the U.S. groin) is a rigid hydraulic structure built perpendicularly from an ocean shore (in coastal engineering) or a river bank, interrupting water flow and limiting the movement of sediment. It is usually made out of wood, concr ...

s, removing obstacles, and the construction of a "Green River" which would serve as a flood bypass. This will result in lower flood levels. By 2015 the Rhine branches will safely cope with an outlet capacity of 16,000 cubic metres of water per second; the measures implemented to achieve this will also improve the quality of the environment of the

river basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

Features

Relocation of dykes Dykes will be relocated farther from the river shore. This will create additional space within the flood plain for the river during annual floods. Lower the level of floodplain In addition to the relocation of the dykes, the floodplain bottom will be lowered in depth. Increasing the depth in the floodplain must occur due to the collection of sediments in the area after years of regular flooding. Reduce height of the groynes The

s within the riverbed will be lowered to allow for more drainage to occur during an increase in water levels more quickly than presently positioned. Groynes will be added in specified locations in addition to the modifications occurring to the existing structures. Construction of a “Green Channel” A “Green Channel” will be constructed serving as a flood bypass around

Veessen Veessen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Heerde. Veessen was a separate municipality between 1812 and 1818, when it was merged with Heerde. It was first mentioned in 1217 as Vesce. The etymolo ...

Wapenveld Wapenveld is a village in the eastern Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Heerde, Gelderland, about 10 km from Zwolle and 100 km from Amsterdam. The village with 6,000 inhabitants, is situated where the valley of the ri ...

. Increase the depth of the side channels Side channels will be lowered in depth to increase the barrier between the river and infrastructures and residents. It will also allow for more water to be removed from the flooded location thus reducing the breach of the dykes. Removal of obstacles Locations along the river where there are obstacles will be addressed. For example, the

hydraulic Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counte ...

bridge at

Oosterbeek Oosterbeek is a village in the eastern part of Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Renkum in the province of Gelderland, about west of Arnhem. The oldest part of Oosterbeek is the Benedendorp (Lower Village), on the northern bank ...

will be removed. Removing or modifying obstacles in the river wherever possible helps increase the flow rate for the river water.

References

* https://www.ruimtevoorderivier.nl/english/ - official website
DOI.org
* http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/Images/RvdR%20factsheet_tcm195-100738.pdf * http://www.espace-project.org/part1/publications/pdf30.pdf * http://www.inbo-news.org/euro-riob/rome/comms/roma_2007_nijland.pdf * http://www.citg.tudelft.nl/.../doc/NCR%20paper%20Stalenberg%20Muller%20Nienhuis%202005.pdf {{DEFAULTSORT:Room For The River (Netherlands) Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta Floods in the Netherlands Environment of the Netherlands Water in the Netherlands Flood control in the Netherlands

Overview

Features

See also

References