US ArmyCorps of Engineers

Paul BourgetUSACE

USA

Coastal and Floodplain Management: the US and

Dutch Experience

Jean-Marie StamRijkswaterstaat

Netherlands

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

MOA USACE-RWS

In May 2004, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Dutch Rijkswaterstaat (of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water management) signed a Memorandum of Agreement to work together on water management.

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

Louisiana 2005 Zeeland 1953 Louisiana 2005 Zeeland 1953

Then Katrina came…

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

Drawing a lot of attention to the Netherlands…

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

…and a lot of Dutch interest in New Orleans…

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

Louisiana – the Netherlands

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

“…We need a levee system like the Dutch…”

Protecting a world class city like New Orleans with a world class levee system like the Dutch have is what we need to do to protect this national treasure. A Netherlands-type of levee system will protect residents, neighbourhoods, and businesses in New Orleans. That’s what homeland security is about.

Broadening Katrina’s Lens , no 4: Katrina’s bigger pictureTuesday, July 10, 2007

New Orleans Levees

Netherlands Levees

US ArmyCorps of Engineers Scale

US ArmyCorps of Engineers Scale

USA• Contains the whole

river basin• Varied hazardscape,

none is top priority• Variations in density

so non-structural measures

Netherlands• The Dutch are at the

end of 3 river basins• National focus on one

hazard• High density so

protective infrastructure

US ArmyCorps of Engineers History

Similarities Differences

1800-1850 Military engineers

Developing infrastructure

Economic cycles

Emphasis on navigation

Centralisation vs decentralisation

Higher priority water resources in NL

1850-1900 Family farms

Rapid capital acc.

Consolidation gov. NL/ concerns power USA

1900-1920 Urbanisation

Social engineering

Agr. Mechanisation & electrification

Hydraulic eng. as science

Ethnic pluralism USA

USA still unpopulated areas

Many nat. resources USA

1920-1970 Large scale water projects

Crises -> expansion nat. flood contr.

Hydr. research

Several USA water agencies

USA dev. hydropower

Polder model vs. econ. and pol. elites

1970-now Emphasis on water quality, non struct. measures

& integrated approach

Public involvement (stakeholders)

Centralisation vs. decentralisation

USA congressional budget vs. policy and budget consensus in NL

Official concern NL climate change

US ArmyCorps of Engineers Governance

USA• Flood management shared

by many organisations• Shared responsability• Cost shared with local

sponsors• USA super power• Taxpayers monies• Individual responsibility

litigation culture

Netherlands• Flood management

in one ministry• Centralized governance• National funded flood

infrastructure• Nl part of EU• State monies• “polder model” consensus

culture

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

Flood management approaches

USA: prevention &

preparedness• Structural (shared

responsibility)• Non-structural measures

(federal responsibility)

• More public awareness and involvement

• More flexible and robust in large areas with low pop. density and varied hazardscape

Netherlands: protection

• System of dikes, levees• System for maintenance• Continuous financing• Law defines responsibilities

• Small, densly populated, prosperous

• 50 years • Last safety assessment:

44% complied; 24% did not comply; 32% unclear

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

Collaborative opportunities

Opportunities

• Safety and risk• Technological innovations • Operations and maintenance • Basin level strategies • Coastal zone management• Participatory planning

US ArmyCorps of Engineers

Collaborative opportunities

Opportunity

• Safety and risk• Technological innovations • Operations and maintenance • Basin level strategies • Coastal zone management• Participatory planning

Learning strategy

Time

Scale

Societal develop.

US ArmyCorps of Engineers Conclusions

• The US and the Netherlands are learning a great deal from each other

• Converging historical development of water management• Differences in scale and, governance lead to different

flood protection approaches (prevention and preparation vs. protection)

• Because of differences many collaborative oportunities with following key learning strategies: – 50 years head start -> Gerschenkron’s law– Larger scale = more research resources– Similar societal development

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