Why isn’t the Netherlands underwater? - Stefan Al
-
0:08 - 0:14In January of 1953, a tidal surge
shook the North Sea. -
0:14 - 0:17The titanic waves flooded
the Dutch coastline, -
0:17 - 0:19killing almost 2,000 people.
-
0:19 - 0:2354 years later, a similar storm
threatened the region. -
0:23 - 0:26But this time, the Netherlands
were ready. -
0:26 - 0:28As the water swelled,
-
0:28 - 0:32state-of-the-art computer sensors
activated emergency protocols. -
0:32 - 0:34Over the next 30 minutes,
-
0:34 - 0:39a pair of 240-meter steel arms
swung shut, -
0:39 - 0:41protecting the channel ahead.
-
0:41 - 0:44Using 680-tonne ball joints,
-
0:44 - 0:48the barrier moved in rhythm
with the shifting wind and waves. -
0:48 - 0:52By morning, the storm had passed
with minimal flooding. -
0:52 - 0:55The first field activation
of the Maeslantkering -
0:55 - 0:57had been a resounding success.
-
0:57 - 1:00As one of the planet’s largest mobile
structures, -
1:00 - 1:04this storm surge barrier
is a marvel of human engineering. -
1:04 - 1:07But the Maeslantkering is just one part
of a massive, -
1:07 - 1:12interlocking system of water controls
known as the Delta Works— -
1:12 - 1:17the most sophisticated flood prevention
project in the world. -
1:17 - 1:20The Netherlands has a long history
with water management. -
1:20 - 1:25The country lies along the delta
of three major European rivers, -
1:25 - 1:29and nearly a quarter of its territory
is below sea level. -
1:29 - 1:33This geography makes the region
extremely prone to flooding. -
1:33 - 1:36So much so, that some of the earliest
Dutch governing bodies -
1:36 - 1:42were informal “water boards” that
coordinated flood protection projects. -
1:42 - 1:47But after the storms of 1953, the Dutch
government took more official measures. -
1:47 - 1:50They established the Delta Commission,
-
1:50 - 1:54and tasked them with protecting
the entire southwestern region. -
1:54 - 1:56Focusing on densely populated cities,
-
1:56 - 2:02their aim was to reduce the annual odds
of flooding below 1 in 10,000— -
2:02 - 2:06about 100 times as safe
as the average coastal city. -
2:06 - 2:11Accomplishing this lofty goal required
various infrastructure projects -
2:11 - 2:13along the southwestern coast.
-
2:13 - 2:18The first line of defense was to dam
the region’s flood-prone estuaries. -
2:18 - 2:22These large inlets fed many of
the country’s rivers into the North Sea, -
2:22 - 2:27and during storms they allowed
flood water to surge inland. -
2:27 - 2:31Using a series of dams, the Delta
Commission transformed these estuaries -
2:31 - 2:36into expansive lakes that serve
as nature preserves and community parks. -
2:36 - 2:40However, this solution wouldn’t work
for the Nieuwe Waterweg. -
2:40 - 2:43As the lifeblood of the local shipping
industry, -
2:43 - 2:47this passage had to be kept open
in safe conditions, -
2:47 - 2:50and barricaded during storm surges.
-
2:50 - 2:53In 1998, the completed Maeslantkering
-
2:53 - 2:56provided the flexible
protection necessary. -
2:56 - 3:01Alongside additional barriers,
like grassy dikes and concrete seawalls, -
3:01 - 3:05these fortifications made up the bulk
of the Delta Works project, -
3:05 - 3:09which was primarily focused on
holding back ocean storms. -
3:09 - 3:13But in the following decades,
the Dutch pursued additional plans -
3:13 - 3:17to complement the Delta Works
and protect against floods further inland. -
3:17 - 3:20Under the "Room for the River" plan,
-
3:20 - 3:24farms and dikes were relocated
away from the shore. -
3:24 - 3:28This left more space for water
to collect in low-lying floodplains, -
3:28 - 3:32creating reservoirs and habitats
for local wildlife. -
3:32 - 3:36This strategic retreat not only
decreased flood risk, -
3:36 - 3:38but allowed for the redeveloped
settlements -
3:38 - 3:41to be built more densely and sustainably.
-
3:41 - 3:46Perhaps no city embodies the Netherlands'
multi-pronged approach to water management -
3:46 - 3:52as much as Rotterdam, a thriving city
almost entirely below sea level. -
3:52 - 3:53When a storm threatens,
-
3:53 - 3:58densely populated older districts
are protected by traditional dikes. -
3:58 - 4:02Meanwhile, newer districts
have been artificially elevated, -
4:02 - 4:06often sporting green roofs
that store rainwater. -
4:06 - 4:10Numerous structures around the city
transform into water storage facilities, -
4:10 - 4:13including parking garages and plazas
-
4:13 - 4:17which normally serve as theaters
and sports arenas. -
4:17 - 4:21Meanwhile in the harbor, floating
pavilions rise with the water level. -
4:21 - 4:25These are the first of several planned
amphibious structures, -
4:25 - 4:30some of which house water purification
systems and solar collectors. -
4:30 - 4:34These strategies are just some
of the technologies and policies -
4:34 - 4:38that have put the Netherlands
at the cutting edge of water management. -
4:38 - 4:41The country continues to find new ways
to make cities more resilient -
4:41 - 4:43to natural disasters.
-
4:43 - 4:46And as the rising sea levels
caused by climate change -
4:46 - 4:49threaten low-lying cities
across the world, -
4:49 - 4:54the Netherlands offers an exceptional
example of how to go with the flow.
- Title:
- Why isn’t the Netherlands underwater? - Stefan Al
- Speaker:
- Stefan Al
- Description:
-
View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-isn-t-the-netherlands-underwater-stefan-al
In January 1953, a tidal surge shook the North Sea. The titanic waves flooded the Dutch coastline, killing almost 2,000 people. 54 years later, a similar storm threatened the region. But this time, they were ready. This was thanks to a massive, interlocking system known as the Delta Works— the most sophisticated flood prevention project in the world. Stefan Al dives into this marvel of engineering.
Lesson by Stefan Al, directed by JodyPrody.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 04:56
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