The struggle against the water
Luctor et Emergo is Latin for ‘I struggle and emerge’. It is the motto of the Dutch province of Zeeland but actually applies to the whole of the 'Low Countries'.
Water enriches the Dutch landscape; dikes, rivers, channels, streams and swamps all make Holland (Hollow land) a unique country. Besides bringing wealth and natural beauty, water is also a cause for concern. Nearly half of the Netherlands is below sea level. A large part of the west of the country would be flooded without the protection of dikes and pumping stations. The lowest point in the Netherlands lies near Rotterdam; nearly seven metres below sea level. On average, the Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region is some five metres above sea level.
In 1953, a severe storm caused the province of Zeeland and a large chunk of south-west Netherlands to be flooded. This dramatic flood disaster was the reason for closing off the inlets in the Zeeland area, a large-scale operation known as the Delta Project.
Dikes and sea defences in the Netherlands have since been strengthened and raised, including the dikes in the Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region. However, the new dikes alone will not be able to withstand the expected rise in sea water level. That is why water in the Netherlands needs to be given more room: river forelands have been widened and the number of wet nature areas has been increased.
