National Water Management Agreement

The change in our climate means that we in the Netherlands must prepare ourselves for milder, wetter winters and dryer summers interspersed with occasional heavy showers. These changes require us to find new ways of water management for the 21st century and to make more space for water. In July 2003 the State, the individual Dutch provinces, water boards and municipalities signed up to the National Water Management Agreement (Nationaal Bestuursakkoord Water). This management agreement sets out how we will tackle water issues and what measures the various government bodies will adopt. Cooperation and coordination between these government bodies is very important in this context.

The most important actions to be taken by the Veluwe Water Board (Waterschap Veluwe) as set out in the National Management Agreement are:

• testing of the regional water system. What measures are needed to combat flooding?
• working with the municipalities to draw up urban water reports (stedelijke wateropgaven). What measures should the municipality take to combat flooding in urban areas?
• drawing up of part river basin plans ((deel)stroomgebiedsvisies) setting out the vision of the water board with regard to water management
• coordinating the ground water levels and surface water levels according to the most important use for the land.

Testing of the regional water system

Each water board is responsible for developing a water system that can cope with future peak demands. Flooding in the region must be avoided as far as possible. Accordingly, we will test the water in the Veluwe against the standards for regional flooding in the National Water Management Agreement to see whether our water can cope with the higher peak water drainage following heavy showers a result of climate changes.

Urban water issues

The municipalities must also ascertain whether villages and towns are able to cope with the increased peak drainage resulting from heavy showers. These are known as urban water reports, and they need to be ready for 2006. The aim here is essentially to prevent flooding. Waterschap Veluwe will advise the municipalities by drawing up the urban water reports.

Vision for part river basin

Waterschap Veluwe will draw up plans for the eight river basins in our water management plan. In these plan sections we will investigate our water system and present our vision of future water management. The plan will cover all aspects of water in the urban and rural areas. The definitive plan also includes concrete measures in the area of water level management, maintenance and planning, including the provision of extra space for water.