Measures for the IJsselmeer area

The Delta Plans for Flood risk management, Fresh water, and Spatial adaptation include numerous measures and projects that specifically target the IJsselmeer area. 

Milestones

Over the past years, a large number of measures have been implemented in the IJsselmeer area. Some milestones:  

• Sixty parties have signed the IJsselmeer Area Agenda for 2050 (Dutch), which is intended to prepare the IJsselmeer area for the future. The agenda does not cover water-related issues alone; it also addresses spatial quality and cultural history, the energy transition, leisure activities, tourism and urbanisation. The IJsselmeer Area Administrative Platform coordinates the implementation of the agenda. The new alliance agreement (Dutch) was signed in 2024.  
• In October 2023, the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management presented the letter Building outside the dikes in the Markermeer and IJsselmeer area (Dutch). The idea is that construction should be allowed outside the dikes only for projects that are not feasible behind them. Accordingly, there will be room only for small-scale water-related activities on the edges of the lakes. 
• In 2023, the water authorities and Rijkswaterstaat changed the way they work with new parties who ask for water. This results in the uniform assessment of applications. Moreover, the aim is to ensure that water demand does not increase. 
• In 2022, Rijkswaterstaat, water authorities and provincial authorities made new agreements for the IJsselmeer area about water allocation in the event of scarcity. Those agreements have led to, among other things, more intensive consultation with water consumers. Regional freshwater demand and the options for meeting it by drawing on resources in the IJsselmeer area are also being identified.  
• In early 2022, seventeen parties (provincial authorities, water authorities and Rijkswaterstaat) signed an administrative agreement as the outcome of the Updating of Water Allocation in the IJsselmeer Area process. In this way, the area is implementing the recommendation of the Drought Policy Platform on the regional elaboration of the priority sequence and embedding it in administrative arrangements. The process resulted in a clearer picture and better understanding between the parties involved. 
• Rijkswaterstaat started exploring anti-salinisation measures at the Afsluitdijk in late 2021. The measures focus on improved salinity control, while taking into account location-specific aspects associated with shipping and ecology. In 2022 and 2023, the management of the lock gates was modified to better control salinisation. Research into additional measures at the lock and discharge sluices is ongoing. The results for Den Oever are expected in 2024; the results for Kornwerderzand in 2025. 
• Important administrative agreements were made in 2020 about freshwater allocation. Concrete results are the IJsselmeer Area Joint Fact Finding study and the Water Demand Forecasting Tool (Dutch). The IJsselmeer Area Administrative Platform has, in this way, elaborated some of the key recommendations from the Drought Policy Platform (Dutch). 
• Since 2020, the Houtribdijk between Enkhuizen and Lelystad has complied with the new standards for flood risk management.  
• The Integrated Study of Flood Risk Management and Water Level Management in the IJsselmeer Area was presented to the Dutch House of Representatives on 18 June 2019. The study described scenarios for water level management in the long term (2050-2175). The results provide guidelines for water discharge, flood risk management and water level management after 2050.  
• Work began on the Afsluitdijk barrier dam in 2018. It has been strengthened along its entire length and storm surge barriers have been built in both lock complexes. Additional discharge sluices have been built in the complex near Den Oever, together with two large pumping stations to drain more water into the Wadden Sea.  
• Since 2018, Rijkswaterstaat has used a flexible water level in the IJsselmeer and Markermeer in the summer. This can result in an additional 400 million cubic metres in the freshwater buffer in the summer.  

Plans for 2025-2026

In the years ahead, there will be a range of projects and activities for the implementation of the Delta Decision and the strategy for the IJsselmeer area. Noteworthy topics and milestones expected for the period through to the end of 2026 include:  

• The upgraded Afsluitdijk Barrier Dam will be completed no later than 2026. The stronger dike has a larger discharge capacity and new pumping capacity.  
• The objective of ‘Climate-resilient and water-robust by 2050’ is a focus in the IJsselmeer area. A study will be completed in 2026 looking at which additional measures are needed to keep the IJsselmeer area climate-resilient, including measures targeting spatial aspects. A clear picture will also emerge at that time of how an adequate flow of water to the Markermeer can be maintained in extremely dry periods.  
• The optimisation of the regional water system will continue in the years to come. This process includes integrated area programmes for stream restoration, an approach for the areas with sandy soils and flexible level management.  
• The region remains committed to water awareness and water economies among users.  
• In the context of the Programmatic Approach for the Main Water System (Dutch), spatial planning measures are being implemented to restore or develop ecological assets in conjunction with the measures from the Delta Programme.  

Integration

• All parties are tackling the three agendas of the Delta Programme in conjunction and, where possible, linking them to other themes such as climate mitigation, the circular economy and other transitions. This was agreed in the IJsselmeer Area 2050 Agenda (Dutch). 
• In addition, the IJsselmeer Area platform has developed a method to assess initiatives that affect the goals of the IJsselmeer area for the area as a whole: the IJsselmeer Compass (Dutch). This compass is also applied to issues in the Delta Programme.