Closing dyke passages exercise - 25 September
On Thursday, September 25, the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority and the Hunze en Aa’s Water Authority will be practicing closing the dyke passages the coupures). We will be doing this from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The exercise is repeated every year before the start of the storm season.
Exercise
The exercise helps us prepare for emergencies. By dyke passages closing the dyke passages , we know exactly what to do in the event of high water. Once the doors are closed, we open them again. This minimizes disruption for residents and visitors. Thanks to the work of the water authorities, we can waterproofing the future.
Storm season
Storms and high water levels occur most frequently between October and April. During this period, we are on standby to monitor dykes quays. Between the city and the port of Delfzijl lies a dyke that protects the city from seawater. The dyke has four passages that allow access from the city to the port and vice versa. These passages have large doors: two electric roller doors, one revolving door, and one sliding door. We close these doors (the 'coupures') when the water level reaches 3 metres above NAP (Amsterdam Ordnance Datum). It does not remain completely dry behind the doors. That is not a problem: the leaking water goes into the sewer.
More information about waterproofing the future: Storms and high water.
