Ledger

The Noorderzijlvest Water Authority ensures safe living with water, sufficient water, and healthy water. To achieve this, the water authority sets requirements for the water management works in its management area.

What are water management works? 

Water management structures are surface water bodies, storage areas, flood defenses, and supporting structures. The requirements for these water management structures are based on their location, shape, size, and construction. Information about water management structures is recorded on a digital map called the register.

Replacement of Registers January 1, 2024 (Environment Act)

Under the legislation in force until January 1, 2024, the water board has recorded part of the information for ensuring compliance with the requirements for hydraulic structures in three registers (a register is a digital map containing information about hydraulic structures). These are the Flood Defenses-Seawalls Register (2010, partially revised in 2019), the Flood Defenses and Other Defenses Register (2012), and the Water Systems Register (2012).

With the introduction of the Environment Act on January 1, 2024, these three registers have been replaced by the Water Management Works Register and the Maintenance Register. The water board is required to compile these registers.

What is a ledger?

A register is a collection of technical (digitally accessible) drawings from the water authority. The drawings in the so-called Water Authority Works Register show which waters and flood defenses the water authority has. And what we think they should look like. By flood defenses, we mean dikes and quays.

The Maintenance Register specifies who is responsible for maintaining each waterway, quay, and dike: the water board or, for example, a private individual. Sometimes there is a shared maintenance obligation. It is also possible that it is not (yet) clear who is responsible for maintenance. We are gradually bringing the Maintenance Register up to date for our entire working area.

Which racks does the water board use?

We use two racks:

  • Waterworks register 2023
  • Maintenance log 2023

You can find the two racks on the interactive map.

What does the Water Management Register say?

The Water Management Works Register specifies the requirements that water management works managed by the water board must meet in terms of location, shape, dimensions, and construction.

  • The location of water management structures is shown geographically on the Legger.
  • When selecting a hydraulic structure on the digital map, additional information about its shape, dimensions, and construction is then displayed (the digital register).
  • The information displayed depends on the nature and function of the hydraulic structure. 

Please note that not all information is complete yet. Some data is not yet available. As long as data is not available, the relevant fields will be left blank. In the absence of standard dimensions, it has been decided to temporarily include the actual dimensions in the register where possible (provided that these are known to be sufficient for the function of the hydraulic structure). In both cases, a note has been added to the register stating that the missing data is still to be determined and may be provided on request. 

Waterworks register 2023

View online

The 2023 Water Management Works Register can be consulted digitally via the2023 Water Management Works Register digital map(approved by the general board on December 14, 2022) (arcgis.com).

View office

You can also view the 2023 Water Management Works Register by appointment during office hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the water board office, Stedumermaar 1 in Groningen. You can make an appointment via the Front Office of the Noorderzijlvest water board. You can reach them by calling 050-304 4911.

What is included in the Maintenance Log?

The Maintenance Register specifies who is responsible for maintenance and what the maintenance obligation is (i.e., the work or part of the work subject to a maintenance obligation) for hydraulic structures and other works that may affect the functioning of hydraulic structures.

  • The location of these works is shown geographically on the register.
  • When selecting a work on the map, additional information is displayed (the digital register).
  • A maintenance obligor is a legal entity (companies, organizations, institutions, governments) or a natural person.

Rules regarding maintenance obligations 

The rules for designating parties responsible for maintenance are laid down in the Water Board Regulations and, specifically for bank protection works, are specified in the policy document on the maintenance obligation for bank protection works.

Policy on bank protection works 2022.pdf

Please note that not all information is complete yet. Some data is not yet available. As long as data is not available, the relevant fields will be left blank.

Maintenance log 2023

View online

The Maintenance Register 2023 can be consulted digitally Maintenance Register 2023 (adopted by the general board, dated December 14, 2022) (arcgis.com)

View office

You can also view the Maintenance Register 2023 by appointment during office hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the water board office, Stedumermaar 1 in Groningen. You can make an appointment via the Front Office of the Noorderzijlvest water board. You can reach them by calling 050-304 4911.

Interactive map layer

How does an interactive map work?

An interactive map allows you to zoom in on flood defenses and waterways. Zooming in reveals more information. For example, would you like to know if there is a flood defense or waterway near you? 

  • Then search by your street, house number, and city name or by zip code. Select the "search" tile (the tile with a magnifying glass on it).
  • Would you like more information? Select one of the legend items on the map. More information will appear in a pop-up screen.
  • Would you like to make a print? Select the 'print' tile (the tile with a printer on it). The print menu allows you to export and save the map currently displayed. The map can then be printed.

What do we use the register for?

We use the ledgers to check where we need to perform maintenance. This is how it works:

  • We have a management register. This management register shows how the water system actually works. How does the water flow, where are the engineering structures located?
  • In this register, we keep track of the current status and condition of our water, pumping stations, locks, and weirs.
  • We then compare the data in the register with our records. These specify the requirements that our water, pumping stations, locks, and weirs must meet. This enables us to identify where maintenance is required.
  • These registers also indicate who is responsible for maintaining the supporting structures in the water system and flood defenses. Pumping stations, weirs, locks, and inlets are referred to as "structures" in water board terminology.

Bookkeeping policy

How we handle the information in the Register is set out in our Register Policy 2022.pdf.

Explanation of words related to water

Salvage areas

A storage area is an area that the water board can use during high water levels to temporarily store more water in the water system. This refers to the area itself, not just the water in the area, such as a canal or lake. The province determines which areas are storage areas. An example in the Noorderzijlvest area is the Onlanden storage area.

Management register

The management register is a collection of basic data on water management structures and other structures in the area managed by the water authority. This data is important for managing the water system and treating wastewater. Examples include the length, width, and depth of a canal or how much wastewater a treatment plant can process. The management register forms the basis for the water board's daily management and maintenance activities.

Works of art

A work of art is a structure that is necessary for roads, waterways, railways, flood defenses, or pipelines. Examples include bridges and pumping stations. Such structures are not intended for habitation.

Surface water bodies

A surface water body is a collection of interconnected bodies of water, such as streams, ditches, canals, and lakes. Examples include a canal with ditches that flow directly into it, or a lake. The surface water body also includes the soil and banks, the plants and animals, and the substances in the water. These substances include nutrients and pollutants.

Flood barrier

In the water board regulations, flood defenses are divided into:

  • Primary flood barrier

    • A primary flood defense is a man-made elevation in the landscape that protects the land behind it from flooding by seawater. This man-made elevation can be a dike, sheet piling, dike passage, or quay wall, for example. The government determines which flood defenses are primary flood defenses.

  • Regional flood barrier

    • A regional flood barrier is a constructed or natural elevation in the landscape that protects the land behind it from flooding by reservoir water. This elevation can be a dike, sheet piling, quay wall, or naturally elevated land, for example. The province determines which barriers are regional barriers.

  • Other flood defenses

    • Other flood defences are constructed or natural elevations in the landscape that protect the land behind them from flooding. These elevations include dykes, sheet piling, quay walls, and naturally elevated land. The water board determines which defences are classified as other defences.