Storing fresh water in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has a lot of fresh water in the IJsselmeer and Markermeer lakes. When the water level rises or becomes excessively high, valuable fresh water is discharged into the sea, even though it could be needed at times of shortage.

To address this situation, Rijkswaterstaat (Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management) together with Deltares developed a concept known as ‘Rear Banks’, which involves flexibly managing the water level behind the dike in order to distribute water in a smarter way spatially and temporarily. We were engaged to examine the effects of different water level regimes on water safety, water storage, water quality and flora and fauna. By using Building with Nature solutions, more space has been created for water and nature. At the same time the quality of the surroundings and climate-proofing were improved.