The Brabantse Delta Water Board has established an withdrawal ban for four areas in Central and West Brabant. This means that from Friday morning no water and streams may be taken out of there to irrigate the country. The reason is the ongoing drought. As a result, the groundwater level in many places has fallen so far that intervention is needed.
“We come from a very wet period in which we have focused on retaining as much water as possible, but that turns out not to be enough,” says board member Rian Govers-Gabriëls of Brabantse Delta. “After a dry period, we are already ready for setting withdrawal bans from surface water. The climate is changing and that requires adjustments from all of us.”
The four river areas of Brabantse Delta where from Friday morning it is no longer permitted to use surface water:
- Molenleij, Bavelse Leij and the Gilzewouwerbeek
- Bijlloop, Oude Bijlloop and Turfvaart Breda
- Brandtse Vaart and Zijbeken
- Kibbelvaart, Lokkervaart and Bosloop
Irrigate with groundwater also curtail
At the beginning of this month, it was already announced that spreading over the three water boards in our province is prohibited in the coming months. It concerns four areas. The extremely dry spring is also the reason for this. The fact that such a prohibition is already announced so early in the year in so many areas does not happen often. “This is very exceptional,” said Aa and Maas Water Board.
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The ever -falling groundwater levels, the absence of rain, the rising temperatures and the growing water demand lead to water boards having to take measures. If the water level or water drains (the water that flows) in an area too much sinks or decreases, the water board sets a prohibition of withdrawal. The lower water level can cause damage to banks and quays. Animals and plants can also die in the water due to a lack of oxygen.
In the Aa and Maas water board, the situation is also closely monitored. Where it was soaked in recent years, the area, which is mainly in East Brabant, now falls into the drop so to speak. On average, there was 5 millimeters of precipitation in the working area of Aa and Maas in March. For comparison: on average, around 60 millimeters are collected in this month. Moreover, the first ten days of April went without a drop of rain. And is and remains sunny weather, which causes more evaporation of water.
In the area of Aa and Maas, weirs have been raised en masse to retain water as well as possible. The supply of water is also considerably increased, this is done at Sambeek, among others. Furthermore, buffers are or will be constructed, such as at the Drongelens Kanaal, Deurne and in the municipality of Laarbeek. Another measure: some fish steps are closed to hold water.
For the time being it does not look like wet times are coming. And that also requires De Dommel Water Board to stay alert. For example, from this Friday it is forbidden to pump water from the Keersop and De Beekloop – as long as necessary. Drinking cattle and combating fire with surface water is permitted. De Dommel Water Board checks outside in the field for compliance with the ban.