Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Influence of Floodplain Compartmentalization on Flood Risk within the Rhine–Meuse Delta

  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present compartmentalization layout within the river polders in the Dutch Rhine–Meuse delta is the result of abandonment and partial removal of secondary dikes and the construction of modern infrastructure embankments. These structures will guide the flow of water in case the polder would inundate. Through the application of a 2-D flood propagation model in the polder Land van Maas en Waal this study explores whether restoration or removal of old dike remnants would contribute to a reduction of the risk and damage during an inundation. A systematic set of 28 flood scenarios was simulated and for each scenario an additional damage and risk assessment was carried out. It is concluded that a simple removal or total restoration will not reduce flood damage, but that this must be achieved by a strategic compartment plan. With such a plan old dike remnants and present embankments can be used to keep water away from vulnerable and valuable areas for as long as possible and to guide the floodwater to areas that are considered less vulnerable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • M. L. Albertson D. B. Simons (1964) Fluid mechanics, flow in open channels Chow (Eds) Handbook of Applied Hydrology McGraw-Hill New York USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Alkema, D. and De Roo, A. (in press), Testing of a 2D flood propagation model by reconstructing the inundation of the Ziltendorfer Niederung (Germany) during the 1997 Oder flood. J. Hydrol.

  • Barnes, H. H.: 1967, Roughness characteristics of natural channels. Geologic Survey Water-supply paper 1849. United States Printing Office, Washington. http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/wsp/wsp_1849/html/pdf.html

  • E. Beinat P. Nijkamp (1998) Multicriteria Evaluation for Land Use Management Kluwer Academic Publishers Dordrecht The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • V. T. Chow (1959) Open Channel Hydraulics McGraw-Hill New York, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • A. M. A. J. Driessen (1994) Watersnood tussen Maas en Waal Overstromingsrampen in het rivierengebied tussen 1780 en 1810 Walburg Pers, Zutphen The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Hesselink, A. W.: 2002, History makes a river. Morphological changes and human interference in the river Rhine, The Netherlands. PhD thesis. Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Utrecht, NGS 292.

  • Hesselink, A. W., Stelling, G. S., Kwadijk, J. C. J. and Middelkoop, H.: 2003, Inundation of a Dutch river polder, sensitivity analysis of a physically based inundation model using historic data. Water Resources Res. 39(9), art. no. 1234.

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Kok H. J. Huizinga T. C. Meijerink A. C. W. M. Vrouwenvelder N. Vrisouvan Eck (2002) Standaardmethode 2002. Schade en Slachtoffers als gevolg van overstromingen Eindrapport. Dienst Weg en Waterbouwkunde, Rijkswaterstaat Delft The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Middelkoop K. Daamen D. Gellens W. Grabs J. C. J. Kwadijk H. Lang B. Parmet B. W. A. H. Schädler J. Schulla K. Wilke (2001) ArticleTitleImpact of climate change on hydrological regimes and water resources management in the Rhine basin Climatic Change 49 105–128 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1010784727448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva, W., Klijn, F., and Dijkman, J.: 2001, Room for the Rhine branches in the Netherlands: What research has taught us. Report of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management, The Hague, The Netherlands.

  • G. S. Stelling H. W. J. Kernkamp M. M. Laguzzi (1998) Delft Flooding System: A powerful tool for inundation assessment based upon a positive flow simulation Babovic Larsen (Eds) Hydroinformatics ’98 Balkema Rotterdam The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Herwijnen ParticleVan (1999) Spatial decision support for environmental management Free University Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Mierlo, M. C. L. M., Overmars, J. M. S., and Gudden, J. J.: 2001, Delft-FLS inundatie simulaties van de Ooij-Düffelt polder en de Land van Maas en Waal polder. http://www.compuplan.nl/pe-resultaten-delftfls.htm.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Systems Analysis, International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), P.O. Box 6, 7500, AA, Enschede, The Netherlands

    D. Alkema

  2. Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.115, 3508, TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    H. Middelkoop

Authors
  1. D. Alkema
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Middelkoop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Alkema.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Alkema, D., Middelkoop, H. The Influence of Floodplain Compartmentalization on Flood Risk within the Rhine–Meuse Delta. Nat Hazards 36, 125–145 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-004-4545-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-004-4545-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation