Persistent drought: water board places a large dam against the ‘salt tongue’

It’s another beautiful summer, but that also has a downside. The precipitation deficit is increasing and the coming month does not bode well. There is already a major shortage of fresh water in the rivers, so the Amstel, Gooi en Vecht Water Board (AGV) is taking measures to get through the dry summer months. “The water board looks at the drought from day to day, but we really just need drizzly days,” a spokesperson said.

If we look at precipitation (or rather the lack of it), the summer of 2022 is well on its way to being one of the driest on record. According to the KNMI, we already end up in the top 5 percent, if we look at years with the largest precipitation deficit.

But it rained on Sunday, right? That’s true, but that still doesn’t solve the problems. “We now have a shortage of almost 250 mm. Yesterday 1.8 mm fell, so we are not there yet,” says spokesperson Lydia Sprengers of the AGV water board.

At the moment this is mainly reflected in a shortage of freshwater supply via the Rhine. “This water is important to provide our polders and nature reserves with freshwater.”

closes

A consequence of this is salinization – that is the increase in the salinity in the water or the soil. The salt water flows into our country via the locks in IJmuiden. “Normally there is enough fresh water to counter-pressure this salty tongue.” The ‘salt tongue’ – so called because salt water is heavier than fresh water – can now move further inland because there is a lot less fresh water.

“The vulnerable nature reserves in our region, such as the Naardermeer and the Spiegelplas, cannot stand this,” reports Sprengers. So, among other things, the Muidertrekvaart is closed. A large dam should prevent brackish water that is too salty from reaching the Vecht – which is connected to the vulnerable areas. “As a result, boats can no longer sail from the Muidertrekvaart to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal.”

overcast

The water board looks at the drought from day to day, ‘and we take new measures if necessary’. But of course the best would be if it started to rain a little. “We hope for a lot of drizzly days.” A single summer downpour is not enough. “Then the water can be absorbed less well into the ground and most of it ends up in the sewer,” says the spokesperson.

“And it must rain well in Germany, the water will come this way with the river.” Who knows, we might even keep it dry.

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