The high water peak at Visserseiland in Hoorn was not too bad. It was expected that the water might reach its highest level yet, but that turned out not to be the case. However, the municipality remains vigilant and the pumps are ready if the water comes too close to the homes.
Municipal employees are in the area all evening and night to monitor the situation. It was between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM a peak is expected. “The water is still high, it’s coming up against the big bags on, but it seems to be a bit lower than we thought. The sidewalk is dry and that is what we wanted,” says Jennie Heuwekemeijer, spokesperson for the municipality.
Hope and expectation that the peak is behind us
Ultimately, the pumps are not necessary and the hope is that the peak is now behind us. “I don’t dare to shout it so loudly anymore. But we can discharge from the Markermeer to the IJsselmeer and that seems to make it go down,” says a municipal spokesperson.
Even when the water recedes, the large sandbags will continue to determine the street scene for a while. “The water has to be gone first and you have to be sure that if the wind changes, we don’t have to put the sandbags back again,” says Jennie.
High tide also partially floods Juliana Park
The high water is not only causing nuisance on Visserseiland and the adjacent Grashaven, the Juliana Park is also soaking wet. Walking paths, among other things, have been flooded, as can be clearly seen in the drone images below by Peter Horwitz.