The worst problems caused by the increased water level appear to be behind us. But high water in the major rivers is expected again in the new year. Due to this uncertain situation, the water boards keep a close eye on everything.
According to the Drents Overijsselse Delta Water Board (WDODelta), most ditches and canals in Drenthe currently show normal water levels. Water levels in the rivers will remain high for the time being. If the water level is already dropping, it is still happening slowly.
The Vecht also flows through the working area of the WDODelta. That river reached a record high on Wednesday. Although the water levels in the Vecht are now falling, the dike guard will continue to actively carry out inspections in the coming days. These people are trained to inspect the dikes for vulnerable places and damage.
The water boards take into account that the water level in the major rivers will rise again at the beginning of January. “The weather picture for the coming days is changeable,” WDO Delta said. “It is not expected to rain much on Saturday, then we expect more rain.”
“The weather forecasts are very uncertain and the groundwater levels remain high,” adds the Vechtstromen Water Board. “If a lot of rain falls again, water levels could rise again in the short term. Our water board therefore remains alert and scaled up.”
Vechtstromen warns that slopes, dikes and banks can become unstable due to long-term exposure to water. “We therefore request that you only use paved roads and paths. There may be mud and driftwood on certain roads and paths.”
The situation is different for the two water boards that are mainly active in the northern part of Drenthe. The Hunze en Aa’s Water Board is now scaling down further to normal management. “The water levels are such that the upcoming flushing events, during which we will be able to discharge slightly less water, will not lead to critical situations. Precipitation is predicted, but that is also manageable under normal management.”
The fact that the groundwater level is slowly dropping is not beneficial for affected households. “There may still be nuisance from water in basements and crawl spaces. We understand that this is annoying, but it is difficult to estimate when this will be over,” say Hunze and Aa’s.
Noorderzijlvest also continues to pump out water, with less capacity. “There is still a lot of water coming from the higher areas in Drenthe towards the lower north. This is clearly visible in De Onlanden.” According to Noorderzijlvest, the wind seems to change somewhat in the new year, which means less precipitation should fall and it will be possible to drain well at sea.