Investigating with poisonous green liquid how the water from a polder mixes with the water from an adjacent river. That is what the Amstel, Gooi en Vecht Water Board is currently doing in the Horstermeerpolder, which is connected to the Vecht.
“We are curious how this water from the Horstermeerpolder mixes in the Vecht, here behind me,” explains researcher Rob Tijsen of Waternet.
The water in the Horstermeerpolder is brackish, which means that it is somewhere between fresh and salt water. That brackish water is not good for flora and fauna in inland waters, but it does flow into the Vecht, so that the water in that river is slowly but surely becoming less fresh.
salinization
“This Horstermeer water is nutrient-rich and a bit salty,” Tijsen continues. “We can’t put that to good use in agricultural and natural areas.” Although the salinity in water does not directly affect the drought, it affects us more during dry periods, says Tijsen. “Because then there is a lot of water demand from the areas.”
Waternet would therefore like to know how the poisonous green dye flows from the polder to the Vecht, and where the dye ends up on the bottom. That data is entered into a computer system and analysed. “With this knowledge, we hope to be able to control the water better and be better prepared for dry summers.”
Soil research
The Water Board has previously examined the soil in the area. In order to improve water quality, it is important to know how the soil is composed. Want to know more about the research? Read more here.