Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge?
Abstract Sea level rise (SLR) will affect water levels and increase flood risk in river deltas. To adapt river deltas to SLR, various strategies can be followed. Many urbanised river deltas already have flood protection in place. Continuing a protection strategy under an increasing SLR, would mean h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Flood Risk Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12782 |
| _version_ | 1811320421857886208 |
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| author | Karin M. De Bruijn Ferdinand L. M. Diermanse Otto M. Weiler Jurjen S. De Jong Marjolijn Haasnoot |
| author_facet | Karin M. De Bruijn Ferdinand L. M. Diermanse Otto M. Weiler Jurjen S. De Jong Marjolijn Haasnoot |
| author_sort | Karin M. De Bruijn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Sea level rise (SLR) will affect water levels and increase flood risk in river deltas. To adapt river deltas to SLR, various strategies can be followed. Many urbanised river deltas already have flood protection in place. Continuing a protection strategy under an increasing SLR, would mean higher embankments along the coast and rivers and possibly closing off the river mouths from the sea. However, closing of rivers will hamper the river flow. How to adapt river deltas and enabling rivers to discharge into the sea is a challenging question. This paper assesses impacts of SLR on flood risks in the Rhine‐Meuse Delta in the Netherlands in case the current protection strategy is continued and explores two alternative protection strategies: (1) a closed system with pumps and discharge sluices and (2) an open system in which rivers are diverted to less densely populated areas. The second alternative results in a more flexible river delta, which can accommodate larger SLR. The paper shows that a systems approach and using quantitative assessments of the implications of strategies is possible. This is needed to further assess the adaptation options, so we can anticipate and adapt when needed and avoid regret of decisions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:59:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19eb4b85d82e488aa16d6631d9455301 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1753-318X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:59:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Flood Risk Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-19eb4b85d82e488aa16d6631d94553012022-12-22T02:45:58ZengWileyJournal of Flood Risk Management1753-318X2022-09-01153n/an/a10.1111/jfr3.12782Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge?Karin M. De Bruijn0Ferdinand L. M. Diermanse1Otto M. Weiler2Jurjen S. De Jong3Marjolijn Haasnoot4Deltares Delft the NetherlandsDeltares Delft the NetherlandsDeltares Delft the NetherlandsDeltares Delft the NetherlandsDeltares Delft the NetherlandsAbstract Sea level rise (SLR) will affect water levels and increase flood risk in river deltas. To adapt river deltas to SLR, various strategies can be followed. Many urbanised river deltas already have flood protection in place. Continuing a protection strategy under an increasing SLR, would mean higher embankments along the coast and rivers and possibly closing off the river mouths from the sea. However, closing of rivers will hamper the river flow. How to adapt river deltas and enabling rivers to discharge into the sea is a challenging question. This paper assesses impacts of SLR on flood risks in the Rhine‐Meuse Delta in the Netherlands in case the current protection strategy is continued and explores two alternative protection strategies: (1) a closed system with pumps and discharge sluices and (2) an open system in which rivers are diverted to less densely populated areas. The second alternative results in a more flexible river delta, which can accommodate larger SLR. The paper shows that a systems approach and using quantitative assessments of the implications of strategies is possible. This is needed to further assess the adaptation options, so we can anticipate and adapt when needed and avoid regret of decisions.https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12782flood risk managementRhinesea level rise |
| spellingShingle | Karin M. De Bruijn Ferdinand L. M. Diermanse Otto M. Weiler Jurjen S. De Jong Marjolijn Haasnoot Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge? Journal of Flood Risk Management flood risk management Rhine sea level rise |
| title | Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge? |
| title_full | Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge? |
| title_fullStr | Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge? |
| title_short | Protecting the Rhine‐Meuse delta against sea level rise: What to do with the river's discharge? |
| title_sort | protecting the rhine meuse delta against sea level rise what to do with the river s discharge |
| topic | flood risk management Rhine sea level rise |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12782 |
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