{"id":5915,"date":"2019-01-23T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2019-01-23T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=5915"},"modified":"2019-01-22T09:44:27","modified_gmt":"2019-01-22T09:44:27","slug":"the-north-sea-dikes-open-once-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/the-north-sea-dikes-open-once-again\/","title":{"rendered":"The North Sea Dikes Open Once Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

This month, the H<\/em>aringvlietsluizen<\/em> opened up to let fish swim between the North Sea and the Haringvliet which is south of Rotterdam in the province of South Holland. Parts of the dike will remain open so long as there is no risk of high water.<\/p>\n

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Photo taken by Craig Booth found on Flickr.com with license CC BY 2.0<\/p><\/div>\n

Haringvlietsluizen- History<\/h3>\n

The\u00a0Haringvlietdam\u00a0<\/em>is part of the Delta Works which are the mix of\u00a0sluizen<\/em>\u00a0(sluices),\u00a0dammen\u00a0<\/em>(dams),<\/em>\u00a0and stormvloedkeringen\u00a0<\/em>(storm surge barriers) that protect about 700km or 435 mi of the coast of the North Sea.<\/p>\n

Construction for the\u00a0haringvlietsluizen<\/em> began in 1956 and concluded in 1970. These are about 1 kilometer long (0.62 mi) with 17 spuiopeningen<\/em>\u00a0or opening gates. Above the\u00a0sluizen<\/em>, cars can drive connecting the delta Goeree-Overflakkee with the island of Voorne-Putten. Traditionally, the\u00a0spuiopeningen<\/em> are only opened based on the water the Maas and the Rijn rivers can take in. Controlling the amount of incoming water means the areas by the North Sea can stay afloat. You can read more about the dangers of flooding in this post about the Delta Works that I previously wrote<\/a>\u00a0or in the video below.<\/p>\n