NCR is the leading cooperative alliance between all major Dutch institutes for river studies. We integrate knowledge, facilitate discussion and promote excellent science.

All Risk

Intro

All-Risk aims at supporting the ambitious Dutch Flood Protection Programme (HWBP) objectives when it comes to implementing new flood safety norms, which as of January 2017 are incorporated in the Water Law. The programme consists of 14 PhD research positions, and 4 postdoc research positions. It is set up as an interdisciplinary endeavour, bringing together researchers from engineering, geotechnical, spatial planning and social sciences disciplines. This will yield detailed, technical findings(e.g. 70% of time investment) and insights in integration and stakeholder collaboration (e.g. 30% of time investment). International collaboration with universities in Houston, Tokyo and Berlin will also take place.

Overview

From January 2017 onwards new flood safety norms have been incorporated in the Water Law. With these norms the risks of flooding will be improved by a factor 10 at several places in the Netherlands, from the riverine area to the Wadden Sea coast. The HWBP will be channelling the implementation of measures, that will contribute to achieving these norms. About 2/3 of all primary flood defences will be strengthened. It is relevant to stress that measures do not only consist of dyke reinforcement, but can also include spatial planning improvements or other risk-reducing measures.

By the end of 2016, NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences (TTW) decided to fund the ambitious research proposal, formulated by 5 Dutch universities (Delft University of Technology, Utrecht University, Wageningen University & Research, University of Twente, Radboud University) and with contributions from several other organizations.

Inside out

Users such as Rijkswaterstaat, regional water authorities, medium-size and large private sector companies, are centrally organized to take part in research activities. This will contribute to developing insights and approaches that have value for implementation, and that will address real-life challenges as encountered in the HWBP. Several of the 30 organizations involved have each contributed in-kind or financially to get the required funds together. All-Risk started in the middle of 2017.