The world's longest automatic flood protection system

The world's longest 300m-long automatic flood protection system - has been tested in the old port city of Spakenburg, Central Netherlands.

Speaking to the press on November 6, Director of the Netherlands Flood and Storm Control Program Roeland Hillen said this was the perfect flood protection solution to protect areas or be affected by floods and storms, especially urban areas when measures to reinforce dykes are not effective.

Automatic 300m dyke system of the Netherlands.

This work costs EUR 7 million, three times the construction of a traditional dyke system. This is the latest initiative to protect the lowlands in the Netherlands, this is the first time this flood protection technique has been applied in the "windmill country" as well as in the world.

When the water recedes, the system automatically drops before it collects in the curb.

In the presence of the local people and the press, the flood protection system automatically raised to 80cm height within 20 minutes while water was pumped into the lower compartments, the simulation was almost similar to the flood. into the area. When the water recedes, the system automatically drops before it collects in the curb. The only part that protrudes from the ground is the steel roof at the top. Due to being hidden in the ground, the existence of this flood protection system does not affect the landscape or habitat of one of the famous tourist areas in the Netherlands.

Due to being hidden in the ground, the existence of this flood protection system does not affect the landscape or the surrounding environment.

With terrain lower than sea level, the Netherlands had a traumatic experience after the historic flood in 1953, which nearly engulfed the entire coastal region of the south and killed thousands. Since then, flood and storm prevention has become a key issue of this country.

The Dutch government currently invests over EUR 1 billion per year in water treatment, drainage, freshwater storage and climate change adaptation, of which EUR 400 million is for flood and storm prevention. So far, the Netherlands is the country with the longest dike system in the world (22,500km) with many innovative technologies and breakthrough solutions to be able to live peacefully with the "natural" mother.