When we think of the Netherlands, one of the first things that likely pops into our minds is beautiful tulips, rolling hills, windmills and perhaps Amsterdam. What we probably don’t find synonymous with the country is flooding.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, however, here in Texas, major flooding, storms, and hurricanes have become second nature to us. Back in May, NOAA predicted that this year’s hurricane season would be “near-normal” and the University of Colorado actually said that the season would be slightly below average. Nevertheless, storms and hurricanes can still have catastrophic effects like Tropical Storm Imelda, who made landfall in Texas just last month.
The Netherlands, however, is very susceptible to flooding. They have three major European rivers running through their small country out to the ocean and with around a third of their land actually sitting beneath sea level, they are extremely vulnerable to tides that can be caused by deadly storms.
So how do they protect themselves against the elements so well? By having a strict storm defense system in place that covers the entirety of the Dutch coast. The town of Noordwijk is home to some impressive sand dunes that are world-famous but actually have a more important role as a protector of people in the town. Residents are not allowed to build property right on the coast, and many people inland don’t get the sea views that us Texans crave, however it means that they will be safe for years to come.
“Our country’s sand dune idea could be something that soon becomes a reality for Houston/Galveston area residents in an attempt to minimize damage when large tropical storms like Imelda hit,” says Rozamond Visser, a local of the Galveston area and consultant for Adviesjagers.
Their ideas came back in 1953 when the Netherlands suffered from a deadly flood from the North Sea. What followed was a whole new system that saw the installation of dams, locks, and dikes to ensure nothing similar would happen again. It took longer than expected, but since that day in 1953, no more Dutch civilians have died from flooding.
Now, 10 years after a similar system was suggested by Galveston Oceanographer, Bill Merrell, the US Army Corps of Engineers alongside the Texas General Land Office are finally beginning to start putting things into place to install a new coastal barrier system as the initial preventative against deadly storms on our coast. This, alongside other projects that are in the pipeline is estimated to accrue costs of up to $32 billion.
The engineers have already had to go back to the drawing board once after initial pushbacks from the public regarding the design and effect on locals and they’re set to be presented to the public once again next year. If everything goes to plan we could see our new flood prevention system start work in 2021.