The Limburg water board has now installed 40 sandbag dams in North and Central Limburg. Not to keep the water away, but to keep water longer in the streams and ditches in the fight against desiccation.
The groundwater level is raised by half a meter with the sandbags. Building sandbag dams is happening for the first time this year, after some experiments last year. The advantage is that the bags can be placed and removed quickly.
common sense
“The common sense has its advantages every now and then,” responds Chrit Wolhagen, director of the Limburg Water Board. “Don’t be too fussy about business and look for practical, inexpensive solutions that you can quickly install and remove. We have to strike while the iron is hot. I am in favor of investing a lot in the preliminary phase to fix a lot of water now to hold.”
Extra farm weirs
The agricultural weirs in streams that farmers manage and regulate also contribute to the drought problem. In the coming years, the Limburg water board will invest heavily in extra farm weirs and the replacement and automation of weirs. The goal is to be able to hold more water in the system faster and more.
Also read: Limburg water board announces code yellow due to drought
No irrigation ban
According to Wolhagen, the fact that the farm weirs are working is apparent from the fact that no irrigation ban has yet to be introduced for surface water in North Limburg. “All measures taken in the past have had their effects.”
The drought appears to be continuing for the time being. Wednesday was even the first tropical day of this year in Limburg. According to Meteo Limburg, there will be no significant rain in the coming days.