Balancing competing water claims in the Dutch South

Western Delta

Ms Annemarie Moons (drs.)

Regional Minister for Economic Affairs, Water Safety & International Affairs

Province of Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands

March 2009

Content in brief

• An overview of the Dutch South Western Delta

• Present and future conflicting needs and claims

• Examples of solutions

The Dutch South Western Delta

The Dutch South Western Delta

The Dutch South Western Delta

Facts

-Approx. 2.5 million people

-Home of three estuaries: Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt

-Many governmental agencies are involved in the region’s water management:

- 3 provinces: Noord-Brabant, Zeeland and Zuid-Holland - 6 waterboards- 3 ministries

Nature

Water provides economic opportunities

Strong agricultural sector due to:

• Fertile soil due to rich clay content

• Close to major agricultural industies

• Reliable and abundant supply of fresh water

Tensions, however, between water claims and uses do exist now and in the future...

Water quality problems

Example: Cyanic algae blooms

Climate Change: Safety first!

Fresh water will become scarcer

•Lower and more irregular flow of the rivers

•Higher water use

•Rising sea level and increasing salinisation

Solutions: Safety and ecology

Combine nature development and river enlargement

Build broader, unbreakable dikes

Solutions: Tackle short term problems in combination with long term strategies

Solutions: co-operate!

Co-operate with all the authorities involved: Agency for co-operation between 3 provinces, 3 ministries and 6 waterboards within the South Western Delta

Co-operate with stakeholders

Thank you for your attention

Wishing you a fruitful discussion!