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Nature-Based Approaches in Coastal Flood Risk Management: Physical Restrictions and Engineering Challenges

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Book cover Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation in Practice

Part of the book series: Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research ((NTHR,volume 42))

Abstract

Ecosystem destruction not only incurs large costs for restoration but also increases hydraulic forces on existing flood defence infrastructure. This realisation has made the inclusion of ecosystems and their services into flood defence schemes a rapidly growing field. However, these new solutions require different design, construction and management methods. A close collaboration between engineers, ecologists and experts in public administration is essential for adequate designs. In addition, a mutual understanding of the basic principles of each other’s field of expertise is paramount. This chapter presents some simple approaches for the integration of ecosystem-based measures into coastal engineering projects, which may be of use to experts from a range of fields. Further, it stresses the importance of ecological processes which determine the persistence and health of coastal ecosystems, a point which is rarely emphasised in coastal engineering. The main aim of this chapter is to highlight the role of ecosystem properties for flood defence to stimulate the coastal engineering community in adopting an ecosystem view. In the near future the hope is that greater awareness of ecosystem processes will lead to more sustainable and climate-robust designs. For this, engineers, ecologists and social scientists involved in coastal defence projects need to develop a common language, share the same design concepts and be willing to share the responsibility for these innovative designs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit for Marine and Coastal Systems, Deltares, 177, 2600 MH, Delft, The Netherlands

    Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck, Myra D. van der Meulen & Mindert B. de Vries

  2. Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands

    Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck

  3. DA – Applied Research Group, HZ University of Applied Sciences, Research Group Building with Nature, 64, 4380 AJ, Vlissingen, The Netherlands

    Carla Pesch

  4. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

    Huib de Vriend

Authors
  1. Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck
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  2. Myra D. van der Meulen
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  3. Carla Pesch
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  4. Huib de Vriend
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  5. Mindert B. de Vries
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environment and Human Secu, United Nations University, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Fabrice G. Renaud

  2. Commission on Ecosystem Management, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland

    Karen Sudmeier-Rieux

  3. Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch, United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva, Switzerland

    Marisol Estrella

  4. Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (ITT), TH Köln, University of Applied Sciences, Köln, Germany

    Udo Nehren

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van Wesenbeeck, B.K., van der Meulen, M.D., Pesch, C., de Vriend, H., de Vries, M.B. (2016). Nature-Based Approaches in Coastal Flood Risk Management: Physical Restrictions and Engineering Challenges. In: Renaud, F., Sudmeier-Rieux, K., Estrella, M., Nehren, U. (eds) Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation in Practice. Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, vol 42. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43633-3_8

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