Delta Commissioner receives preferred strategy for river safety on Rivers Day
On Wednesday, 2 July, Delta Commissioner Wim Kuijken received the preferred strategy for safety in the delta area during the annual Rivers Day organised by the Rivers section of the Delta Programme.
Josan Meijers of the Gelderland Provincial Executive and Lambert Verheijen, chair of the Aa en Maas water board, presented the preferred strategy to the Delta Commissioner. This marks the completion of four years of intensive collaboration in the delta area between the national government, the provinces, the water boards and the municipalities, with the involvement of knowledge institutes, the business community and civil society organisations.
‘This furthers the new episode embarked on by Room for the Rivers. We need to create a robust delta area that will withstand the extreme blows nature deals. We are working on preventing future disasters. The preferred strategy is a good example of co-creation and I urge everyone to participate in its follow-up’, Delta Commissioner Wim Kuijken remarked upon the presentation.
The strategies for the Rhine tributaries and the river Meuse look ahead to 2050, with a view beyond to 2100. The climate is changing: the chance of extremely high river discharges is increasing and the sea level is rising. Staying safe will require new measures in the future. These include dike reinforcements, new river expansions, dike extensions and a combination of the three.
The Delta Commissioner will adopt the region’s recommendations for a safe future for the delta area in his proposals for the Delta Programme 2015.