focus is on increasing the groundwater buffer and the moisture buffer at plant
root level.
2. Saving water by more efficient water use. In the short run, by educating water
users. In the medium and long-term periods of drought are unavoidable and
consequently major water users should take measures themselves to avoid this
from causing major damage.
3. Develop for the medium and long term some modest possibilities for extra water
transport (a.o. to Twente via the Twente Canal where a brand new lock enables
better to keep the level up).
All in all these guidelines show that the emphasis is on measures in the water
system to increase buffer capacity both in the creeks and in the ground and on
making water use more efficient. There is an own responsibility for users to
decrease the potential damage from droughts.
Already before, in the document “Kansrijke strategieën voor zoet water”
(Promising strategies for fresh water), September 2013, for the east of the country,
including the province of Overijssel, the following measures are mentioned for the
short run: smart “locking” (regulating the water levels), restructuring of the regional
water system, making creek valleys wetter, increase groundwater storage and buffer
water in larger nature areas. While drought resilience measures are often having
spatial consequences and often deal with agricultural land and while they often take
the form of renaturation of the water system, land use planning, agricultural policies
(also from the EU) and nature, landscape and tourism policy sectors are very
relevant.
Another relevant development is the national Administrative Agreement Water
in which the state government, the provinces, the water authorities and the
municipalities have stipulated the division of their tasks in water management and
the way to integrate them and also agreed on the principles of cost sharing. In this
framework, also the agreement has been made that the provinces and water boards
will elaborate for the complete rural area the desired ground and surface water
levels (GGOR). This specification can later be used as a justification for taking
further measures. In the Delta Programme part on freshwater supply, emphasis is
placed on the instrument of “specified level of provision”. This instrument does not
necessarily entail that desired water levels are specified in a quantitative way, but is
seen as sets of information on the water system and its likely developments,
combined with agreements between all relevant stakeholders about measures to be
taken and about how to deal with remaining drought and water scarcity risks. The
ambition is to have such stipulations and agreements for all areas by 2021.
Apart from the Delta programme the new policies regarding drought and water
scarcity also need to be explained in the upcoming Watermanagement Plan 2015–
2021, that also needs to respond to the European Water Framework Directive. The
geographical level of this plan is the subbasin of Rhine East, containing six Dutch
water board areas, including that of the merged Vechtstromen, but also consisting
of the relevant provinces, municipalities, drinking water company and state water
agency representatives. Of special relevance for the East of the Netherlands,
184
H. Bressers et al.
root level.
2. Saving water by more efficient water use. In the short run, by educating water
users. In the medium and long-term periods of drought are unavoidable and
consequently major water users should take measures themselves to avoid this
from causing major damage.
3. Develop for the medium and long term some modest possibilities for extra water
transport (a.o. to Twente via the Twente Canal where a brand new lock enables
better to keep the level up).
All in all these guidelines show that the emphasis is on measures in the water
system to increase buffer capacity both in the creeks and in the ground and on
making water use more efficient. There is an own responsibility for users to
decrease the potential damage from droughts.
Already before, in the document “Kansrijke strategieën voor zoet water”
(Promising strategies for fresh water), September 2013, for the east of the country,
including the province of Overijssel, the following measures are mentioned for the
short run: smart “locking” (regulating the water levels), restructuring of the regional
water system, making creek valleys wetter, increase groundwater storage and buffer
water in larger nature areas. While drought resilience measures are often having
spatial consequences and often deal with agricultural land and while they often take
the form of renaturation of the water system, land use planning, agricultural policies
(also from the EU) and nature, landscape and tourism policy sectors are very
relevant.
Another relevant development is the national Administrative Agreement Water
in which the state government, the provinces, the water authorities and the
municipalities have stipulated the division of their tasks in water management and
the way to integrate them and also agreed on the principles of cost sharing. In this
framework, also the agreement has been made that the provinces and water boards
will elaborate for the complete rural area the desired ground and surface water
levels (GGOR). This specification can later be used as a justification for taking
further measures. In the Delta Programme part on freshwater supply, emphasis is
placed on the instrument of “specified level of provision”. This instrument does not
necessarily entail that desired water levels are specified in a quantitative way, but is
seen as sets of information on the water system and its likely developments,
combined with agreements between all relevant stakeholders about measures to be
taken and about how to deal with remaining drought and water scarcity risks. The
ambition is to have such stipulations and agreements for all areas by 2021.
Apart from the Delta programme the new policies regarding drought and water
scarcity also need to be explained in the upcoming Watermanagement Plan 2015–
2021, that also needs to respond to the European Water Framework Directive. The
geographical level of this plan is the subbasin of Rhine East, containing six Dutch
water board areas, including that of the merged Vechtstromen, but also consisting
of the relevant provinces, municipalities, drinking water company and state water
agency representatives. Of special relevance for the East of the Netherlands,
184
H. Bressers et al.