The Joint Meeting (VV) of the Delfland Water Board has unanimously decided to make a draft budget of €3.6 million available for the further development of potential water storage facilities in the Klaas Engelbrechtspolder and the Woudse Polder. Delfland has chosen to develop both locations simultaneously in order to enable a comprehensive comparison between the two sites.
Water Board Member Manita Koop explains: “ With this decision, we are preparing for extreme rainfall. This is in line with our responsibility as a water board to ensure water safety in our area. This is important, because such an extreme downpour could fall as early as tomorrow.”
Following the debate held in the General Meeting, it has been decided to further develop the expansion of the existing water storage in the Woudse Polder. The final decision will follow after the designs have been fully elaborated in collaboration with all involved parties. In this elaboration, Delfland will examine in greater detail the technical and spatial integration for both locations, what this means for owners, users, and their operations, the relationship with other measures, and the costs.
Part of a broader approach
The development of a potential water storage facility in the Klaas Engelbrechtspolder and the Woudse Polder is part of a broader mix of measures. These include, among other things, additional (temporary) pumping station capacity, improvement of flow, water retention and infiltration, and local measures in urban areas and the greenhouse horticulture sector.
Follow-up process
With this decision, no final decision has yet been made regarding the construction of a water retention area. The results of the designs form the basis for a subsequent decision-making moment in the Joint Session. Landowners, local residents, municipalities, and other stakeholders will be actively involved in the further development. A transparent and careful approach is central to this process.
Water safety under increasing pressure
The Delfland water system is under pressure due to climate change and increasingly extreme rainfall. During heavy rainfall, the polder system cannot always immediately process large volumes of water, and there is a risk that our polder dikes will break uncontrollably or overflow. Water storage areas can help absorb peaks and keep water levels more manageable. Previous research shows that large-scale water storage in the center of Delfland can contribute to the safety of the polder dikes. This limits the risk of flooding and damage in Midden-Delfland and beyond.
Text & Images: Delfland Water Board. Translation to English: The Hague Online
