Re:The Dutch Have Solutions to Rising Seas
by avar on Wednesday August 09, 2017 @10:26AM
(#14969207)
Worrying about the water & coast is a very real concern in The Netherlands. I didn't mean to give the opposite impression.
The intent of my comment is to explain that the mental image many have of The Netherlands (even some natives are guilty of this) that it's all effectively under sealevel held up by some above-sealevel walls facing the ocean is false.
Most big population centers are above sealevel, those that aren't are usually "landlocked" below-sealevel areas, i.e. surrounded by land that's not below sealevel.
Flooding's still a major concern, but it's as much about ensuring that these landlocked areas don't turn into big puddles whenever it rains as it is about holding storm surges from the ocean back.
This is why the top comment in this thread stating that "we are ALREADY beneath sea level!" is BS. The nominal state of The Netherlands is not to be under sea level, but just barely above it.
This means that it's vulnerable to heavy rains, storm surges etc. But it also means that it's no more prepared than most other countries if the ocean were to rapidly rise and start overflowing & eroding the above-sealevel costal areas that protect the under-sealevel inland areas from being permanently flooded.
The intent of my comment is to explain that the mental image many have of The Netherlands (even some natives are guilty of this) that it's all effectively under sealevel held up by some above-sealevel walls facing the ocean is false.
Most big population centers are above sealevel, those that aren't are usually "landlocked" below-sealevel areas, i.e. surrounded by land that's not below sealevel.
Flooding's still a major concern, but it's as much about ensuring that these landlocked areas don't turn into big puddles whenever it rains as it is about holding storm surges from the ocean back.
This is why the top comment in this thread stating that "we are ALREADY beneath sea level!" is BS. The nominal state of The Netherlands is not to be under sea level, but just barely above it.
This means that it's vulnerable to heavy rains, storm surges etc. But it also means that it's no more prepared than most other countries if the ocean were to rapidly rise and start overflowing & eroding the above-sealevel costal areas that protect the under-sealevel inland areas from being permanently flooded.