Space for the River

Room for the River

Overview

The Rhine River Delta experiences annual flooding. High water levels are a wakeup call and flooding remains a threat. In 1993 and 1995, the flooding experienced left an array of devastation to the immediate and neighboring region. In the neighboring vicinities there were over 200,000 people who evacuated the area. One element pertaining to the flooding is that the climate change is ongoing, and as the river floods each year the water distributes sediments throughout the flood plain which in turn reduces the space that was initially allowed for annual floods. The Dutch Cabinet proposed the Spatial Planning Key Decision (SPKD). The SPKD is a design plan submitting more highly innovated structures and modification of existing structures in the immediate site. It will be an ongoing project from 2006 until 2015.

Designers

In 2006 the Dutch Cabinet drew up the Spatial Planning Key Decision Room for the River (SPKD) (Planologische Kernbeslissing Ruimte voor de Rivier) / Meander Consultancy and Research Partners contributed to the site analysis and interpretation.

Location

The overall site encompasses four rivers total: The Rhine, The Meuse, The Waal, and the IJessl. The entire area to be address begins in the Netherlands flowing into Germany into a portion of France and finally reaching into Switzerland. Each of these countries must be addressed in regards to obtain a complete success of the design. The Rhine-Meuse delta requires more concentrated focus.

Description

The design presents an integrated spatial plan with the main objectives of fl ood protection, master landscaping and the improvement of overall environmental conditions. Completion of a basic package of about forty projects is foreseen for 2015, with a budget of €2.2 billion. Measures in the basic package–isplacing dikes, depoldering and creating fl ood channels–require space that now lies inside the dikes. In many cases, the measures will not be implemented for several years. Until that time, to ward against developments that could interfere with the river expansion plan, these areas have been set aside in the SPKD Room for the river. There are several implimetations that are required to occur in order to obtain the space required for the river. The implementation would include: dyke relocation, the level of the fl oodplain will have to be dropped, the side channels will have to be increased in depth, reduce the height of the groynes, remove the obstacles, and the construction of the “Green River” which would serve as a fl ood bypass. This will result in lower fl oodlevels. By the year 2015 the Rhine branches will safely cope with an outlet capacity of 16,000 cubic meters of water per second; the measures implemented to achieve the above will also improve the quality of the environment of the river basin; the extra space the rivers will need throughout the coming decades.

Features

Relocation of Dykes:The dykes will be relocated father from the river shore. This will create additional space within the floodplain for the river during the annual floods.

Lower the Level of Floodplain:In addition to the relocation of the dykes creating more space in the floodplain, 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 over years of flooding.

Reduce Height of the groynes:The groynes within the riverbed will be lowered to allow for more drainage to occur at 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 the “Green Channel”:The “Green Channel” will be constructed serving as a flood bypass around Veessen-Wapenveld.

Increase the Depth of the Side Channels:The 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 and reducing the breach of the dykes.

Removal of Obstacles:Locations along the river where there are obstacles will be addressed. For example, the hydraulic bridge at Oosterbeek will be removed and replacement of railway dike by bridge.

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