the drought weakens the dikes of a country obsessed with rising waters

The drought spares no one this summer: the Netherlands has been officially in “water shortage” since August 2, in this country where it is nevertheless very abundant.

Some constructions see their structures weakened: the regional water offices have multiplied inspections on the dikes all summer. While the large dykes facing the North Sea are relatively spared, the small structures ensure the drainage of water and the drying up of the polders, inland, particularly suffer from drought.

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These structures are usually made of peat, a traditional but fragile material. The black earth cracks as soon as the temperature rises too much, explains Hannedrré Coulevahine, dike specialist at the Deltares Institute in Delft: “If a crack forms, then the peat will dry out and oxidize until it disappears. In the event of a sudden rise in water, these cracks will fill with water and the dike will no longer be able to withstand the pressure.“

Near the village of Pijnacker, in the Delft region, if the dyke were to give way, the water from the drainage canal, whose polder it protects below, would overflow where Boss’s 90 cows are quietly grazing. , dairy farmer: “This polder, this whole area is three meters below sea level.”

“If the dikes give way, my cows will have to learn to swim. There will be no farm here, it will be a lake!”

Boss, dairy farmer

at franceinfo

He pursues : “I’m not worried because the Dutch have learned to live according to the water level. And then, the authorities who manage the water do a good job. They inspect the dikes, they check that everything is in order, to avoid floods before the onset of fall and winter.“

The peat dikes are thus regularly covered with a layer of clay, to prevent the earth from drying out. Small boats also come to water the walls with water cannons in case of drought.