Future agenda for Lauwersmeer and exploratory study

The Lauwersmeer Future Agenda is a plan for the next ten years to strengthen and protect the Lauwersmeer area against challenges such as sea level rise, land subsidence, heavy rainfall, and prolonged drought.
The agenda was drawn up with input from local residents, farmers, nature conservationists, fishermen, and other stakeholders. Important themes on the agenda are:

• Ensuring a robust natural environment with freshwater-saltwater transition, freshwater availability, good water drainage, and water safety
• Development of recreation and tourism within the carrying capacity of nature
• Sustainable port development at Lauwersoog and future-proof fishing 

The Noorderzijlvest and Wetterskip Fryslân water boards are responsible for water management. Water connects all functions in the Lauwersmeer area: safe living and working, nature, recreation, and agriculture. 

Want to know more?

 Download Future Agenda Lauwersmeer.pdf 
 

For the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority, clean and healthy water, safe living with water, and sufficient water in every season are the most important tasks in the Lauwersmeer area. 

Clean and healthy water
The water board ensures clean andhealthy water in Lauwersmeer. This improves the ecological water quality and nature. Important goals are: a transition area between fresh and salt water, free fish migration, and combating pollution and exotic species. 

Sufficient water in every season
Fresh water flows from Friesland and Groningen to Lauwersmeer and the Wadden Sea. In dry periods, fresh water is brought in from the IJsselmeer to maintain the water level and prevent salinization. This helps agriculture and strengthens the transition between fresh and salt water. Research shows that limited inflow of salt water has no impact on agricultural land. That is why only the northern part of Lauwersmeer is becoming more brackish for nature restoration, while the southern part remains fresh for agriculture. 

Living safely with water
Water boards ensure safe dikes. Lauwersmeer also helps to keep the area safe and prevent flooding in the hinterland. Climate change will result in more precipitation, which means that more water will have to be drained via Lauwersmeer. Water safety is a prerequisite for combining nature restoration and a climate-proof water management system.  

Read more about the water challenges in the Lauwersmeer area.

How can we ensure a better transition between fresh and salt water at Lauwersmeer and the Wadden Sea? So that ecological water quality improves and there is a future for agriculture. And how can we also guarantee water safety with this solution? That is what this exploratory study is all about. Until 2028, we will be working with regional partners to investigate how we can best achieve the freshwater-saltwater transition. 

Funding has been allocated through the national PAGW (Programmatic Approach to Large Water Bodies) program for the realization of the saltwater monitoring network, the exploratory study, and the development of a plan. The saltwater monitoring network will enable us to build up knowledge of the water system. This will help us choose the best solution (a preferred alternative) for a more natural transition between fresh and salt water at Lauwersmeer and the Wadden Sea.
Read more about the exploratory study. 
 

The Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) has awarded a grant of €10 million on behalf of the nationalPAGW program (Programmatic Approach to Large Water Bodies) for the exploration and planning of a more natural freshwater-saltwater transition between Lauwersmeer and the Wadden Sea. The first part of this contribution will be used to set up the saltwater monitoring network and start the exploration.   
 
ThePAGW is a national program of the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (LVVN) and Infrastructure and Water Management, with the aim of improving ecological water quality and strengthening nature in the Dutch large water bodies. The partners with whom the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority collaborates within the Programmatic Approach to Large Water Bodies (PAGW) Future-proof Lauwersmeer are: Rijkswaterstaat North Netherlands, Staatsbosbeheer, and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. 
 
In addition, the water authority is working on a future-proof Lauwersmeer, together with the Lauwersmeer Steering Group (which includes the authorities in the area) and the initiative group consisting of site managers, nature organizations, farmers, and other stakeholders. This allows us to carefully weigh the interests of nature, water quality, water safety, and agriculture.