Build safety against flooding withNature

From concepts to practical BwN solutionsApril 2011

Mindert de Vries

Specialist eco-engineering at DeltaresProfessor Building with Living Nature Hogeschool Zeeland

Building with Naturechallenge =

Building with Naturechallenge =

use the

dynamics and services of the ecosystem

to

realize safety, function combinationswith economic feasibility

use the

dynamics and services of the ecosystem

to

realize safety, function combinationswith economic feasibility

Building with nature by reef, marsh, dune creation andhard structures….

Not safe enough?

safe

Long term safety:Marshes growwith SLR

safe

reefs

marshes

Marshland kwelders

Foto paesens-moddergat

Effective low costlow tech saltmarshproduces safety& large natural value

Dutch historical large scale land reclamation =building with nature

Delivers continuum of concepts and designsmulti partner, multi system

Soft solutions Hybrid hard-soft mix Hard solutions

more space, more BwN, no dikemore flexible, cost-effective (?)

less space, more BfN, more dikeless flexible, extra investment

forest-dike combi

Wadden SeaMarkermeer/Friese

IJsselmeerkust

Rich ‘Levees’Oosterschelde!

non

tidal

/ tid

al

oysterreef-dike combi

Examples of practical solutions 2007-2010

• They are generic and practical,• They are cost-effective,• They fit within legal constraints.• They have been realized with numerous partners from

government, engineering and construction andresearch organizations

• Main sponsors: RWS-WINN, Ecoshape consortium

Examples of soft solutions 2009-2010

Vegetatie als golfremmer

Debate:•Technical feasibility•Cost-benefit•Conflict with Natura 2000

Scale 500m wide30km long

Saltmarsh grows with sea level and maintains stability and safetyFlexible, low tech, low maintenance cost, longshore connectivity

LakeIJsselmeer

Afsluitdijk

WaddenSea

Wave reducingsaltmarsh

Super stormstable vegetated

dune

WaddenWadden SeaSea Soft SafeSoft Safe DikeDike: saltmarsh/: saltmarsh/dunedune//dikedike hybridhybrid

Existing dike

2010, HHNK, RWS-WD, Deltares, Haskoning: ‘bankdike’,soft safe green flexible dike

50m wide, many km, large wave reduction, high nature value, along lake shore

Nature developmentwith longshore connectivity andregional relevance depth and material variations

along and perpendicular tothe dike create diversity,enhanced by natural settlingand compaction.

Examples of hybrid hard-soft solutions 2007-2010

2010, Ecoshape: foreshore protection with reeflarge scale oyster reef experiment (2x 200m x 20m)

Reduce erosion of intertidal areasin Eastern Scheldt

2009 RfR programme NoordwaardWavereducing forest-dike combi ‘fort Steurgat’

Deltares/RWS concept achievesrequired 1/2000 safety standards andwill be constructed before 2015

Wave reducingwillow-tree plantationsLow cost low tech

Clay dikewill be lower thantraditional design

100m wide

Application: Floating wavereducing marsh, Houtribsinking marsh for Zeeburg, EVZ (NMIJ, gem Amsterdam)

We need an improved floating design!

Dare to try!

Examples of hard solutions 2007-2010

2007-2010 Rich Revetment ‘Rijke Dijk’ pilots

1. IJmuiden2. Haven van Rotterdam3. Oosterschelde4. Westerschelde

1

2

3

4

Hula’s in the harbour of Rotterdam(Deltares, HbR, EcoConsult)

Monitoring shows that biomass enbiodiversity is enhanced a lot whencompared to smooth structures.Wave action in a harbour can be a problemthat is reduced by using the hanging hulastructures.

Applications: Rijke Dijk Maasvlakte 2

Applications: underwater forests harbors

Application beyond pilot scale

monitor,analyzeand adapt

5-10yrcycle?

Cyclic approach with co-operating partnersis effective, urgent need for more pilots and applications

Conceptualdesign

Pilotsmall scale

Real scaleapplication

Testproof principle

systemmanagers

researchers consultantsbuilders

incentives &alliances

Approach and process: integrate thinkers, do’ers andmanagers, stimulate interactions

RijkswaterstaatWater BoardsProjectbureau ZeeweringenRoom for River NoordwaardPort of RotterdamHeijmansBAM-infraSMITSHELLHogeschoolZeeland

Ecoshape consortium

(Van Oord, Boskalis, DHV,Arcadis, Witteveen en Bos,Imares, Deltares)

NIOO-CEME

RUNijmegen

TU Delft

UTwente

Vandermeerconsulting

Ecoconsult

GiMaRis

Dare to Share!

Research must go on, we want proof of principle andpredictive capability

New thinkers and do-ers: The next generation beingtrained at Delta Academy in Zeeland

Building with Nature projects overview

2009

2008

2007

USA!?SNG

The Netherlands are leading ineco-engineering applied forsafety against flooding

2010

Linked to WWF/Conservation International

Green Adaptation concepts:

• make use of ecosystem functioning to enhancesafety, food and freshwater security, andprotect livelihoods

• include and enhance ecosystem functions in anintegrated approach to adapt to climatethreats

We can build cost-effective safety with nature!

Need for different thinking and different acting = GreenAdaptation

• What can the project do for the ecosystem, what can theecosystem do for the project? Think beyond compensation andmitigation;

• Allow dynamics and accept site specific nature of the BwNsolutions;

• Think in cycles and allow adaptive designs and management;• Accept and manage involvement of new parties into the

development, implementation and maintenance process;• Provide adequate training, tools, guidelines and protocols;• SLR/Climate Change: We have time and space to work with nature

and increasing knowledge/experience: use it!

You can contact me atmindert.devries@deltares.nl

Thank you!