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What has the Delta Programme accomplished so far?

  • Fourteen Delta Programmes (DP2011-DP2024) with recommendations from the Delta Commissioner to the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, including concrete provisions and measures, with support and with financing. For six years and for the six years after that in broad terms, looking ahead to 2050/2100; 
  • Fourteen National Delta Congresses (750 > 2000 participants in a growing delta community)  
  • Five Delta Decisions and the Sand Decision in 2014. Together with the preferred strategies for the areas anchored in the National Water Plan; 
  • New standards for flood risk management in 2014 that were enshrined in the Water Act in 2017. For its operational research, the Delta Programme received the Franz Edelman Award (U.S.A.); 
  • Before 2015: completion of Weak Links in the Coast project, completion of Room for the River projects, Stone Revetments, the second Flood Protection Programme and start of work on the upgrade of the Afsluitdijk barrier dam (2018-2022); 
  • Delta Plan for Flood Risk Management (2014) with a range of proposals and measures to make the Netherlands water-secure and keep it that way, including the establishment of a Flood Protection Programme (HWBP); 
  • The establishment of the new Flood Protection Programme, an alliance between Rijkswaterstaat and the water authorities (50/50). New design and assessment instrument. Between now and 2050, we will be working on upgrade projects (1800 km of dike, 500 locks and pumping stations will be upgraded in 300 projects based on the new standards for flood risk management), completion in 2050. Some € 25 billion will be invested for this purpose. The Netherlands will be safer (50% lower probability of flooding); 
  • Freshwater Delta Plan (2014) with a range of measures; funds for the 1st tranche (period 2015-2021) amounted to approximately 500 million, 1/3 (national government/150 million)-2/3 (regions). Package of measures for the 2nd phase (2022-2027), for which € 800 million is available. The Delta Fund will contribute 250 million of this sum and the government authorities in the freshwater regions will contribute 550 million euros; 
  • Delta Plan for Spatial Adaptation (2017), with stress test and prospect of measures and resources (amendment of the Delta Act) and the Administrative Agreement on Climate Adaptation (signed on 20 November 2018). Delta Programme Knowledge Agenda, and the National Water and Climate Knowledge and Innovation Programme (NKWK); Stimulus Scheme for climate adaptation (2020) with 200 million euros from the national government 
  • The elaboration of multi-layer safety (3 layers + smart combinations), including connections with the safety regions; 
  • Independent evaluation of the Delta Act after five years (2017), with ‘very good’ rating;  
  • Establishment of Integrated River Management (2018) with funding; An amount of € 375 million has been reserved in the Delta Fund for this purpose; co-creation national government-regions; 
  • Flexible level in IJsselmeer/Water Level Decree for IJsselmeer area taken in 2018;  
  • Sea Level Rise Knowledge Programme (2019). The interim assessment of the knowledge programme will be presented in late 2023. 
  • Periodically evaluated Delta Decisions and preferred strategies (2020).