Impact Project Kop van de Betuwe
The Kop van de Betuwe is the eastern part of the Betuwe area. This is where the River Rhine bifurcates into the Waal and the Nederrijn / Pannerdensch Kanaal. The area comprises the cities of Arnhem-South, Nijmegen-North (Waalsprong) and the Lingezegen regional park. At the end of 2013, the Kop van de Betuwe pilot was implemented under the Delta Programme New Development and Restructuring sub-programme. The impact project can thus be regarded as a follow-up to this pilot.
Figure: Location of the Kop van de Betuwe area
Scope of the project
The Rivierenland district water board and the Province of Gelderland have initiated the Kop van de Betuwe area development in order, together with regional partners, to enhance the self-sufficiency of the area (water, energy, and resources) as well as the coping capacity of its citizens and consumers.
The Kop van de Betuwe area development is going through the exploratory phase. Several exploratory studies have been initiated. The first study pertains to multi-layer flood risk management: ways to assess logical combinations aimed at improving flood risk management from layers 2 and 3, criteria that are applicable in this respect, and ways to concretise these criteria. The second study explores the options for linking surface water and (thermal and electric) energy. This study has been co-commissioned by the Alliander energy network company and it uses the www.smartpolder.nl concept.
Figure: Heat generation from surface water near a (flushing) pumping station and heat/cold storage.
The third exploration is focused on finding promising measures (companies, collectives, regional level) that water consumers will be able and prepared to take or contribute to, in order to prevent water shortages due to increasing climate change. This also constitutes the Freshwater Supply Level pilot in the Area Around the Major Rivers freshwater region, under the national Freshwater Supply implementation programme.
The Kop van de Betuwe area development ties in with a wider perspective for increasing the area’s self-sufficiency and coping capacity which is already being implemented by several parties. For example, Lingezegen Park is making a new start after the completion of its basic development. Wageningen and Nijmegen universities remain involved in the further development of the park, while the city of Arnhem is encouraging climate action in districts and neighbourhoods through civic participation.
Figure: Development of peak water storage instrument in Lingezegen Park (www.richwaterworld.com).
In the spatial adaptation impact project, the Rivierenland district water board and the Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment have initiated a broad-based exploration of the best way to set up collaboration among the various organisations. This will be conducive to efficiently tackling climate issues and making the most of cross-sectoral opportunities.
Support provided under the incentive programme
The Rivierenland district water board and the Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment have requested Berenschot consultancy to conduct a first analysis of the collaboration among the various organisations. Based on this analysis, Berenschot will draw up a proposal for ways to foster and exert adaptive control over this collaboration.
Berenschot is using the Stolk and Wesseling 2014 analysis model to analyse the collaboration and the extent of coalition building. This model distinguishes between content, arena, and focus.
Figure: Analysis model for coalition building (Stolk and Wesseling, 2014).
Results
The wide range of initiatives involving collaboration and co-creation by government authorities, research institutes, entrepreneurs and citizens showcase the commitment and potential in the Kop van de Betuwe. Coordination and collaboration between these initiatives can enhance the resilience of the water system and the dynamics of the living environment. As the ownership of this collaboration has not (yet) been vested, regional workshops are currently being created in order to learn from one another and link sectoral perspectives, boundaries, and resources to the integrated challenges of climate change. More details will be provided in the next newsletter. The results of some of the sub-studies (sustainable energy, multi-layer flood risk management, freshwater supply level) will then be available.
Contact persons
Ton Drost
Waterschap Rivierenland
+31(0)6 25 03 23 69
t.drost@wsrl.nl
Bram Brouwer
Organisatie adviesbureau Berenschot
+31(0)6 47 43 22 78
b.brouwer@berenschot.nl