The reform of the EU CAP
1 could be also relevant in the future. The national level
seems to gradually withdraw from the process, even though at the same time the
discussion on “fresh water supply” is gaining more attention. This is mainly due to
the fact that the relation of water management with nature development has been
severely damaged in 2011, when nature policy changes took place that almost
completely cut the budget for new nature projects. This setback has never been
completely restored. Other potential actors that are relatively absent are the drinking
water company and the general public. Nature organizations are welcomed but are
sometimes limited in their participation in decision-making due to restricted means.
In terms of problem perceptions about droughts, a gradually increasing number
of included perspectives are observed. On a national level the problem of water
scarcity is clearly addressed in the second Delta Programme, be it that the topic
therein is “fresh water supply” which not necessarily leads to system adaptation to
droughts. The visibility of this problem is not only present in the water and nature
sectors but also gradually increases in the agricultural sector. Now, even in Spring,
sometimes a few creeks and brooks run dry and more impacts on vegetation occur.
This is also seen from the involvement of those sectors in the pilot area projects in
the northeast and east of Twente region. The interconnection of drought and flood
protection measures is increasingly recognized as having climate change as a
common cause, which makes it somewhat easier for both problems to be addressed
together. However, still the water authority itself in the organization where draught
awareness is strongest. Already since around 2008 they have a permanent “draught
team” in the organization.
A wide variety of instruments and measures is used, but as far as preventive
measures are concerned they are restricted to a voluntary approach strategy.
A specification of all desired water levels and tables serves as a basis for further
extractions, especially in relation to Natura 2000, and as a guideline for day to day
management. Around Natura 2000 areas buffer zones can be specified to protect the
nature from lower water tables and chemicals used in the agriculture. A new
instrument included in the ZON agreement mentioned in Sect. 9.2 is the specification on how much water farmers can expect during wet or dry periods. This
should enable farmers and industries to consciously take or avoid risks for instance
with high value crops. Moreover, the obligation to create a storage capacity for a
20 mm rainfall in case of a new building or new development decreases the amount
of rainfall to get in the sewage system, which not only prevents flooding in the cities
but also prevents the ground water level to drop. This enables more infiltration and
watering the street trees by stored water in dry periods. Also, other instruments such
as a ban on irrigation from surface water in certain dry periods and a ban on
extraction of ground water in certain areas imply a growing awareness to increase
1
The CAP reform of 2009 introduced 2 new standards of GAEC (Good Agricultural and
Environmental Condition) related to water: (a) establishment of buffer strips along water courses,
(b) compliance with authorization procedures for use of water for irrigation. Retrieved from: http://
ec.europa.eu/agriculture/policy-perspectives/impact-assessment/cap-towards-2020/report/
annex2a_en.pdf.
192
H. Bressers et al.
1 could be also relevant in the future. The national level
seems to gradually withdraw from the process, even though at the same time the
discussion on “fresh water supply” is gaining more attention. This is mainly due to
the fact that the relation of water management with nature development has been
severely damaged in 2011, when nature policy changes took place that almost
completely cut the budget for new nature projects. This setback has never been
completely restored. Other potential actors that are relatively absent are the drinking
water company and the general public. Nature organizations are welcomed but are
sometimes limited in their participation in decision-making due to restricted means.
In terms of problem perceptions about droughts, a gradually increasing number
of included perspectives are observed. On a national level the problem of water
scarcity is clearly addressed in the second Delta Programme, be it that the topic
therein is “fresh water supply” which not necessarily leads to system adaptation to
droughts. The visibility of this problem is not only present in the water and nature
sectors but also gradually increases in the agricultural sector. Now, even in Spring,
sometimes a few creeks and brooks run dry and more impacts on vegetation occur.
This is also seen from the involvement of those sectors in the pilot area projects in
the northeast and east of Twente region. The interconnection of drought and flood
protection measures is increasingly recognized as having climate change as a
common cause, which makes it somewhat easier for both problems to be addressed
together. However, still the water authority itself in the organization where draught
awareness is strongest. Already since around 2008 they have a permanent “draught
team” in the organization.
A wide variety of instruments and measures is used, but as far as preventive
measures are concerned they are restricted to a voluntary approach strategy.
A specification of all desired water levels and tables serves as a basis for further
extractions, especially in relation to Natura 2000, and as a guideline for day to day
management. Around Natura 2000 areas buffer zones can be specified to protect the
nature from lower water tables and chemicals used in the agriculture. A new
instrument included in the ZON agreement mentioned in Sect. 9.2 is the specification on how much water farmers can expect during wet or dry periods. This
should enable farmers and industries to consciously take or avoid risks for instance
with high value crops. Moreover, the obligation to create a storage capacity for a
20 mm rainfall in case of a new building or new development decreases the amount
of rainfall to get in the sewage system, which not only prevents flooding in the cities
but also prevents the ground water level to drop. This enables more infiltration and
watering the street trees by stored water in dry periods. Also, other instruments such
as a ban on irrigation from surface water in certain dry periods and a ban on
extraction of ground water in certain areas imply a growing awareness to increase
1
The CAP reform of 2009 introduced 2 new standards of GAEC (Good Agricultural and
Environmental Condition) related to water: (a) establishment of buffer strips along water courses,
(b) compliance with authorization procedures for use of water for irrigation. Retrieved from: http://
ec.europa.eu/agriculture/policy-perspectives/impact-assessment/cap-towards-2020/report/
annex2a_en.pdf.
192
H. Bressers et al.