It is being prepared for the Drents Overijsselse Delta Water Board (WDODelta). So far this month, twice as much water fell as normal in November.
Because there is a strong northwest wind today and in the coming days, the high water is being pushed towards the WDO Delta working area. “So the water is blown by the wind towards the east side of the IJsselmeer. All that water from North Holland pushes up towards our area,” Sander Habing of the water board told NOS.
The second largest pumping station in the Netherlands, just across the border at Zwartsluis, is therefore now manned 24 hours a day. The water board is thus trying to prevent the water in the Meppelerdiep and the Overijsselse Vecht from rising too high. “If we don’t do that, Meppel and the surrounding area will get wet feet,” says Habing.
The pumping station at Zwartsluis can discharge 125 cubic meters of water per second. At full power, that equates to three Olympic swimming pools per minute.
The autumn of 2023 has been very wet so far. The groundwater levels are high at all water boards in Drenthe. The soil also barely absorbs water. According to WDODelta you can compare it to a sponge that is ‘more full than full’.
“We have to drain the precipitation that is currently falling to have enough space to absorb the expected precipitation and to maintain the water level. We can handle it well, but water level and dike managers are under extra pressure to ensure that the water can continue to flow properly,” says the water board.
The highest point is expected tomorrow afternoon in Groningen at the Hunze en Aa’s water board. “But with the various actions we have taken, this remains within limits,” says a spokesperson. “We expect to return to normal water levels during Monday.”
According to the spokesperson, groundwater levels in Drenthe are manageable. “Drenthe is actually an upside-down soup plate,” she explains. “The water flows to the lower parts, especially to Groningen.”
The Vechtstromen Water Board agrees with this. “It remains wet, but the level is dropping,” says a spokesperson. “Because the water levels have dropped somewhat, we have a buffer again. So we don’t expect any problems in the coming days.”
But the quickly reacting water system on the slopes of the high sandy soils means that the water board must be alert to even more rain. “We therefore keep a close eye on the weather forecasts. Ditches, streams and rivers are full. In principle, we want to retain this water in our area, so that we are already building up a buffer for a possible dry summer. But on the other hand, we have We also need space to absorb any major rainfall in the area. That is why we drain a lot of water, for example via the Vecht.”
Noorderzijlvest – which is active in the north of Drenthe and Groningen – also sees water levels falling. The dike passages at Delfzijl were closed last night, but because the water subsided again during the day, they have been opened again.
Sander Habing from WDO Delta tells NOS about the challenges facing the water board this month: