Looking back and looking ahead Annette van Velde

What kind of year was 2024?

What projects did we carry out in 2024?

What do these projects mean for the future?

Why is the sweet-salt connection important for the Wadden Sea?

What kind of year will 2025 be?

What do you think is important for the residents of our area to know?

What are the biggest challenges?

What are the effects of climate change on water safety?

"We now need to think about what happens when a water bomb falls."

"We need to start thinking about what happens when such a water bomb falls. You need space in your area for that. And if there is extreme rainfall in a short period of time, what consequences this will have for such an area. Talk about this in advance, so that everyone can prepare," says Annette van Velde. "We can't always cope with climate change by raising dikes."

Annette van Velde has been a member of the executive committee of the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority since April 2019. She occupies this seat on behalf of the guaranteed seat for farmers, the VVD, and the CDA. Today, she looks back on her work in 2024 and looks ahead to her plans for 2025.

Looking back on 2024: we worked hard and took significant steps toward the future

2024 was a good year for Van Velde. "As a water board, we worked hard on our tasks. This enabled us to achieve great things and take steps for the future." She is pleased that the water system functioned well. "It was a very wet year. That's why we worked hard in the field to keep management and maintenance in order while coping with the enormous amount of water that fell."

The year was marked by various projects, but one stands out for Van Velde. "We have continued to make good progress on our Lauwersmeer dike. This project has been ongoing for some time, but I am proud to see how we are staying on schedule and within budget, and that we are achieving great things in collaboration with other authorities." All water boards are involved in the Flood Protection Program to make the Netherlands resilient to future heavy rainfall and prolonged drought. The Lauwersmeer dike is also part of this program.

Sweet and Salty: both necessary for achieving good water quality

"We have a bigger challenge ahead of us at Lauwersmeer," she says. "In the past, there were many problems between fresh and salt water in that area. We need both to achieve our water quality goals, but it is also important for fish migration and the Wadden Sea." She is pleased that the report resulting from this process has not been shelved, but is actually being implemented point by point.

The sweet-salt connection offers great potential for the future. "We can improve nature while also maintaining prospects for people who need fresh water. We are taking both into account in this project." Fresh water is particularly important for agriculture. "The solution we have devised has support in the area. That demands a lot from us, but we are on the right track." 

Fish migration: Fresh and salt water is necessary for fish to migrate between the sea and the hinterland.

Fish migration is good for inland waters. But freshwater is also necessary for the Wadden Sea because it contains nutrients for small animals and fish that live there. "We want fish migration to take place, both from the hinterland to the Wadden Sea and back again.  This requires a transition, because fish cannot be in salt water one moment and fresh water the next." 

No wet feet: using water storage facilities to keep your feet dry during heavy flooding

The storage areas also fall under the theme of water safety. The Onlanden south of the city of Groningen is one such nature reserve that is used for water storage. "A lot has happened there in the past year. We also see that the involvement of local authorities is sometimes really necessary to get everything done on time."

According to Van Velde, the construction of the Onlanden is important for the safety of residents. "So that they don't get wet feet and their houses stay dry." The water board is currently in talks with local residents about the consequences of this water storage area. "But for now, we are saying that this is the way to achieve optimal safety for our residents with as little impact as possible."

Water bomb: extreme precipitation will flow to the lowest point, thus creating water mountains there.

Another water storage facility is being built in the Westerkwartier. "When you investigate where the best place to build a water storage facility is, you end up in the low-lying center. This is the natural place where the water flows to." For Van Velde, it is important that there is also enough space here to convert the area into a water storage facility. "If you build a new residential area there, it will be a very expensive loss. So, in fact, that is no longer possible." 

That is why she urges: "Make sure you can cope with multi-layered water safety when there is a water bomb, i.e. a very large amount of precipitation in a short period of time. Because we know that these kinds of things will happen more often in the future."

Looking ahead: multi-layered security is important for the future

Van Velde has set several goals for 2025. "I hope we can complete the first phase of the Onlanden project. It's important that we stick to our agreements." She also hopes to take the next step in the Lauwersmeer area. "Hopefully, the realization of the Lauwersmeer dike will continue as it has over the past year. I have every confidence in that. I also hope that we can take steps in our freshwater strategy and clearly communicate what this development means in terms of freshwater for the environment and residents."

"If you look at future developments, you can expect that we will have to take measures to improve freshwater availability. But our message must also make it clear that this can no longer be taken for granted. We need to have that conversation, and we can do so if we know what the situation is." That is why the water board is conducting extensive research into the consequences for the water system and the measures it can take to address this. "At the same time, we know that there are national issues that will have a major impact. These include decisions taken in relation to, for example, Room for the River 2.0 and the water level in the IJsselmeer."

Finally, Van Velde also mentions multi-layered safety as a challenge for the coming year. "We can't always cope with climate change by raising dikes. We need to start thinking about what happens when such a water bomb falls. You need space in your area for that. And if this happens, what consequences will it have for such an area? Talk about this in advance, so that everyone can prepare."