Deltawerken - project to prevent effects of storm surges

Question 1

What is the Deltawerken?

Answer 1

An example of a hard engineering megaproject, one of the largest coastal engineering projects launched in the Netherlands after the 1953 storm surge

Question 2

What were the aims of the deltawerken project?

Answer 2

• to reduce the risk of flooding in the low lying area of the Netherlands
• shorten the length of coastline exposed to the sea
• control flow of rivers to reduce flood risk
• maintain access to North Sea for shipping

Question 3

Megaproject

Answer 3

A very expensive, technically difficult and usually long term engineering project.

Question 4

What was put in place?

Answer 4

• dams
• sluice gates
  to control flow of water, can be closed during a storm surge to shut the sea out
  -Embankments to act as flood walls

Question 5

What does global warming mean to the project?

Answer 5

Sea levels are due to rise, so these flood defences will need to be continuously raised and strengthened