indeed provided. The development of the irrigation policy created an arena for
additional stakeholders that address the competition between the wishes of farmers
and other water users as well as a broader perspective to the optimal use of water by
considering the issue of drought.
8.4.2 Pilot Measures Implemented Within the DROP Project
The catchment area of the pumping station Streukelerzijl, located in the north-eastern
part of Salland, is prone to flooding due to an insufficient drainage system and to
water shortage in periods of drought. The two pilot measures that are implemented in
the Salland Region contribute to the protection of this catchment area of about
18,000 ha against both flooding and drought. This requires a double-acting system
that is able to drain and supply enough water under, respectively, wet and dry weather
conditions, and also a water system that responds quickly and effectively to changing
weather circumstances. Another challenge of the project is to generate knowledge
about how to enhance cooperation with all stakeholders involved in order to come up
with new projects to prevent drought-related agricultural losses.
Within the first pilot measure, a large part of the catchment area has been
disconnected to form a new catchment area in order to compensate groundwater
extraction by the drinking water company and to secure the water supply for
farmers in the catchment area. Two weirs and two pumping stations were built to
discharge water to the Vecht River and to pump water from the Vecht River into the
catchment area. The additional pumping station at the Vecht River, which will be
built in the future outside the DROP project, will drain and discharge the new
catchment area. Until this new pumping system fully works, a temporary water inlet
is used to be able to supply the new catchment area with water. This temporary
water inlet is located higher upstream than the future location of the new
double-acting pumping station. The water drained from the new catchment area is
temporarily transported via an already existing watercourse to the north-west.
The second pilot measure is an innovative system for managing the catchment
area in a more efficient manner to prevent and reduce damage to agricultural production. It involves a remote-controlled steering mechanism that is linked to
weather forecasts and to manage this management system it will be placed at the
pumping stations. The WGS will start testing the steering mechanism at the two
smaller double-acting structures as soon as possible.
8.5 Governance Assessment: After Acknowledgement
of Drought Comes Integration of Drought
In this section we apply the Governance Assessment Tool (Bressers et al. 2013a, b)
and present our findings regarding the four qualities of governance: Extent,
coherence, flexibility and intensity.
8 Drought Awareness Through Agricultural Policy: Multi-level …
167
additional stakeholders that address the competition between the wishes of farmers
and other water users as well as a broader perspective to the optimal use of water by
considering the issue of drought.
8.4.2 Pilot Measures Implemented Within the DROP Project
The catchment area of the pumping station Streukelerzijl, located in the north-eastern
part of Salland, is prone to flooding due to an insufficient drainage system and to
water shortage in periods of drought. The two pilot measures that are implemented in
the Salland Region contribute to the protection of this catchment area of about
18,000 ha against both flooding and drought. This requires a double-acting system
that is able to drain and supply enough water under, respectively, wet and dry weather
conditions, and also a water system that responds quickly and effectively to changing
weather circumstances. Another challenge of the project is to generate knowledge
about how to enhance cooperation with all stakeholders involved in order to come up
with new projects to prevent drought-related agricultural losses.
Within the first pilot measure, a large part of the catchment area has been
disconnected to form a new catchment area in order to compensate groundwater
extraction by the drinking water company and to secure the water supply for
farmers in the catchment area. Two weirs and two pumping stations were built to
discharge water to the Vecht River and to pump water from the Vecht River into the
catchment area. The additional pumping station at the Vecht River, which will be
built in the future outside the DROP project, will drain and discharge the new
catchment area. Until this new pumping system fully works, a temporary water inlet
is used to be able to supply the new catchment area with water. This temporary
water inlet is located higher upstream than the future location of the new
double-acting pumping station. The water drained from the new catchment area is
temporarily transported via an already existing watercourse to the north-west.
The second pilot measure is an innovative system for managing the catchment
area in a more efficient manner to prevent and reduce damage to agricultural production. It involves a remote-controlled steering mechanism that is linked to
weather forecasts and to manage this management system it will be placed at the
pumping stations. The WGS will start testing the steering mechanism at the two
smaller double-acting structures as soon as possible.
8.5 Governance Assessment: After Acknowledgement
of Drought Comes Integration of Drought
In this section we apply the Governance Assessment Tool (Bressers et al. 2013a, b)
and present our findings regarding the four qualities of governance: Extent,
coherence, flexibility and intensity.
8 Drought Awareness Through Agricultural Policy: Multi-level …
167