Why go
The project reveals the choices behind flood protection. Closing estuary mouths could shorten the coastline needing defence, but routes towards Rotterdam and Antwerp had to remain open for shipping. Understanding that balance makes the delta’s dams, sluices and storm surge barriers more than isolated feats of construction.
The full story
The Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta had experienced flooding for centuries before the Delta Works. Earlier plans considered closing estuary mouths to reduce the length of coastline exposed to the sea. The Second World War and delays in decision-making slowed progress. The North Sea flood of 1953 gave the project new urgency, and a commission developed the Delta Plan. The plan addressed the Oosterschelde, Haringvliet and Grevelingen, combining barriers and dams with stronger defences. The Nieuwe Waterweg and Westerschelde had different requirements because they carried shipping towards Rotterdam and Antwerp. Keeping these routes open meant reinforcing the dikes along them rather than treating every estuary alike. The works also linked flood protection with roads and waterways, improving connections within Zeeland and between ports. Seen as a regional system, the project explains why the delta contains several kinds of structure. A dam, lock or storm surge barrier answers a particular combination of water levels, transport needs and exposure to the sea.