Resilience strategies for flood risk management in the Netherlands

Abstract

A comparison is made between the current flood risk management policy in the Netherlands, which is a resistance strategy aimed at the prevention of flooding along the lower Rhine River by raising the dikes, and two alternative resilience strategies that aim at minimising the consequences of these floods, but at the same time allow some flooding. The alternative strategies rely on detention in compartments and on discharge via “green rivers”. These strategies were evaluated on their financial impacts (costs and flood damage) and on their impacts on economy, ecology and landscape, as well as on flexibility. The tangible effects, such as costs and damage were calculated using mathematical models; experts awarded scores to the intangibles, such as landscape quality and ecology. It is concluded that the initial costs of the resilience strategies are high whereas the gains, a reduction of the flood risk, will only be perceivable in the long term. On the other hand, the resilience strategies are more flexible and offer more opportunities for nature and landscape development