The capacity of water storage in the Onlanden must be increased. To this end, the Noorderzijlvest water board will expand the capacity at Leekstermeer by 5.2 million cubic meters of water.
The Onlanden was designated as a water storage and nature reserve after the major flooding that ravaged the city of Groningen in 1998, in which entire city neighborhoods threatened to be flooded. A quarter of a century later, the original capacity (7.5 million cubic meters of water) appears to be too small again. “We have received new climate models,” says Annette van Velde, director of Noorderzijlvest. “We think we will need the extra water storage once every 25 years.”
At Leekstermeer
The additional water storage will be located in the area around the Hooiweg near the Leekstermeer. The water level rises from 15 to 18 centimeters during extreme rainfall. To this end, it is necessary, among other things, to raise the quays around the existing water storage. There will also be ‘refuge islands’ for animals that have to find a safe haven from the water. The area between the Hooiweg and the Leekstermeer remains protected from water storage because it is a vulnerable nature reserve.
The plans are not yet finalized, but it is more or less certain that additional water storage must be located in this area. Further environmental research must reveal exactly what measures are required to properly incorporate the additional storage.
Drenthe representative Yvonne Turenhout (PvdA) points out that the area has also become an important nature reserve that is valued by local residents. “So it’s about nature and water storage. We must do justice to both functions, we also want to strengthen the natural function as much as possible.”
Two houses
The province of Drenthe has authority over the planning development of the Onlanden. The Provincial Executive gave the green light on Tuesday to further develop the plans. “There are two houses in the nature reserve, which of course must be well protected,” says Van Velde. “In addition, there are meadows on the edge of the area, where the Peizerdiep and the Eelderdiep meet. The owners will notice that we are going to store more water here.” There will be a compensation scheme for them.
We are experiencing a very wet autumn, but according to Van Velde there are no problems now. “The rain is falling quite steadily now. The nuisance mainly occurs when a lot of rain falls in a short period of time. And in winter, because then we can drain less water to the sea via the Lauwersmeer area.”
Noorderzijlvest developed the plans together with Staatsbosbeheer and Natuurmonumenten. The municipalities of Tynaarlo and Noordenveld are also involved. For local residents and other interested parties, there will be a walk-in meeting in Bij Boon in Peize on Thursday, December 7 between 4:30 PM and 8:00 PM.