Zuiderzee

Fig. 83.2 Schematic diagram shows change in reaction of historic humans against rising sea level and coastal hazards. Box 1. Zuiderzee works, Box 2. Delta works...

In the 19th century land reclamation served an economic interest. It was considered that private investors and not the government should take the initiative, which concept was taken to be valid for the draining of the Zuiderzee as well. However,... 

As soon as it was decided to carry out the Zuiderzee project, it was not quite clear yet if it was hydrological safe to close off the former sea. Building the Closure Dike would block off the tides and nobody could foresee its consequences in terms of future tidal ranges in the northernmost part of North-Holland and Friesland. Some researchers anticipated an increase of at least 4 m (13 ft). Would dikes be able to withstand these higher tides during heavy storm surges ... 

In late 1926 the committee published its findings, which led to the start of the Zuiderzee project (Table 83.1 and Fig. 83.4). In August 1930 the Wieringenneer fell dry as the first polder and in 1932 the Closure Dike was finished (Fig. 83.5). In less... 

Table 83.1 Areal and temporal dimensions of dikes and polders of the Zuiderzee works...

Fig. 83.4 Map shows location, nature and size of the different projects of the Zuiderzee Works in the central north of the Netherlands that were carried out between 1927 and 1975. (Cf. Table 83.1)...

By living in the coastal low lands of the Netherlands, either in the Delta works area or in the Zuiderzee works area, the Dutch will eventually also have to face... 

The primary focus of this chapter is two major 20th century projects, the Zuiderzee reclamation and the Delta Project. These are arguably two of the largest land reclamation and flood protection projects every completed. This chapter also describes some of the plans that are in place to manage future climate change and sea level rise. Additional discussion on flood protection and land reclamation in the Netherlands can be found in Designed for Dry Feet Flood Protection and Land Reclamation in the Netherlands (Hoeksema, 2006) and Man-Made Lowlands History of Water Management and Land Reclamation in the Netherlands (van de Ven, 2004). 

The Dutch coastline was also threatened by North Sea flooding and the expansion of Lake Almere. Twelfth century storms destroyed some of the mud flats where Lake Almere drained into the sea. The resulting extensive growth turned it into a sea arm later named the Zuiderzee. 

In the 15th century the mud dike was improved by placing a wall of seaweed sandwiched between wooden piles on the seaward side. Stone was also placed at the foot of the dike. The pile dike was a variation in which the outer wall consisted solely of 30 cm (12 in) square wooden piles. This type of dike was used extensively along the shore of the Zuiderzee. 

Wieringermeer was the first large polder created from the Zuiderzee (see Fig. 84.5). The dike from the tip of Wieringen Island to the mainland at Medemblik was constructed between 1927 and 1929. After removing around 700(10) (24.7(10) ft ) of water the polder came dry on August 11, 1930 creating 200 km ... 

The second large polder created in the Zuiderzee reclamation was the 480 km (185 mi ) Northeast Polder (see Fig. 84.5). The polder dike runs from Blokzijl on the east to Lemmer on the north. The drained land included two islands, Schokland and Urk. Two rivers in the old land had to be dammed and diverted to drain into the water surrounding the new polder. Construction started in 1937 and the 1.5(10) m (53(10) ft ) of water was removed by 1942. The deepest canals lie 5.5 m (18 ft) below the outside Usselmeer water (van EHiin de Kaste, 1990). 

The Zuiderzee reclamation was easily the largest effort by the Dutch to reclaim lost land. The Delta Project was the largest coastal flood protection project ever attempted by the Dutch. These two projects are similar in many ways. Both were initially planned without any urgency until a flood event sent the plans into action. Both projects were developed in stages allowing new developments to alter the plans as time went by. And, both projects took longer to complete than originally planned. 

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