Balancing competing water claims in the Dutch South Western Delta Ms Annemarie Moons (drs.) Regional...

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Balancing competing water claims in the Dutch South Western Delta Ms Annemarie Moons (drs.) Regional Minister for Economic Affairs, Water Safety & International Affairs Province of Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands March 2009

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The Dutch South Western Delta

Transcript of Balancing competing water claims in the Dutch South Western Delta Ms Annemarie Moons (drs.) Regional...

Page 1: Balancing competing water claims in the Dutch South Western Delta Ms Annemarie Moons (drs.) Regional Minister for Economic Affairs, Water Safety  International.

Balancing competing water claims in the Dutch South

Western Delta

Ms Annemarie Moons (drs.)

Regional Minister for Economic Affairs, Water Safety & International Affairs

Province of Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands

March 2009

Page 2: Balancing competing water claims in the Dutch South Western Delta Ms Annemarie Moons (drs.) Regional Minister for Economic Affairs, Water Safety  International.

Content in brief

• An overview of the Dutch South Western Delta

• Present and future conflicting needs and claims

• Examples of solutions

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The Dutch South Western Delta

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The Dutch South Western Delta

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The Dutch South Western Delta

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Facts

-Approx. 2.5 million people

-Home of three estuaries: Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt

-Many governmental agencies are involved in the region’s water management:

- 3 provinces: Noord-Brabant, Zeeland and Zuid-Holland - 6 waterboards- 3 ministries

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Nature

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Water provides economic opportunities

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Strong agricultural sector due to:

• Fertile soil due to rich clay content

• Close to major agricultural industies

• Reliable and abundant supply of fresh water

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Tensions, however, between water claims and uses do exist now and in the future...

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Water quality problems

Example: Cyanic algae blooms

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Climate Change: Safety first!

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Fresh water will become scarcer

•Lower and more irregular flow of the rivers

•Higher water use

•Rising sea level and increasing salinisation

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Solutions: Safety and ecology

Combine nature development and river enlargement

Build broader, unbreakable dikes

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Solutions: Tackle short term problems in combination with long term strategies

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Solutions: co-operate!

Co-operate with all the authorities involved: Agency for co-operation between 3 provinces, 3 ministries and 6 waterboards within the South Western Delta

Co-operate with stakeholders

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Thank you for your attention

Wishing you a fruitful discussion!