Delta Commissioner visits the Wadden Region sub-programme
On Friday 26 April, Delta Commissioner Wim Kuijken visited the Wadden Region sub-programme in the Eems-Dollard estuary and the Eems delta. The focus of the visit was on innovative dike concepts and multi-layered safety.
The sea dike on the Dollard at Nieuw Statenzijl, for example, has not been approved. The Hunze en Aa's Water Authority wants to use an innovative dike concept there, a so-called “green dike”. Such dikes are completely covered by grass and have a gentler incline. They appear to be less expensive and can be better integrated into the landscape. This concept has been used successfully just over the border in Germany.
Afterwards, the role of secondary dikes was discussed, with a view to the possibility of compartmentalisation. An investigation will be conducted into the possibilities of making use of these former sea dikes. No secondary dike is in place in the area behind the Holwierde dike reach, an area that is of particular importance for gas extraction. A breach here could put the hinterland right up to Groningen under water. This was the reason for the second part of the visit. The discussion at the NAM in Spijk focused on the economic value of the gas infrastructure, and especially on the possibility of social dislocation resulting from a breach.
Mark Boumans, Executive Councillor for the Province of Groningen, called for the importance of the energy and electricity supply in Groningen to be taken into account in discussions on water safety at the national level as well. The Delta Commissioner emphasised the importance of providing quantitative transparency in this regard. "Up until now, the discussion about social dislocation as a result of the flooding of gas installations has been largely qualitative, but today it has become clear to me that it is also possible to provide quantitative substantiation. I call on the stakeholders to make the problem transparent by providing figures. This would be helpful to the discussion," according to Wim Kuijken.