Smart potato fields as a weapon against flooding

How can we prevent flooding in the Limburg hills and retain the water better? With 15 new agricultural measures, the Limburg Water Board, the LLTB and Wageningen University (Open Cultures) want to find an answer to this.

Trials are being carried out at 20 locations and next year this will be expanded to 50 locations. By better water retention can prevent flooding in lower lying areas.

Dams

One of the measures is that in the field about 15,000 dams are placed between the ridges with potatoes. This way the water is retained on the land and the farmer does not have to irrigate anymore. For example, a one-hectare potato field can hold 75,000 liters of water after a heavy rain; 50 percent more than a field without dams.

New system

In addition to these kinds of measures, many parties argue for a new water system, which takes more account of dry summers. The current system is mainly focused on rapid drainage of water. Farmers face additional costs for irrigation of their crops and crop losses due to drought. Nationwide, drought damage for farmers in 2018 was estimated by LTO at between 820 million and 1.4 billion euros. LLTB board member Peter van Dijck: "We will have to arm ourselves by keeping even more water inside in times of precipitation."
Nature organizations and WML are also concerned about the consequences of climate change. Delegate Carla Brugman shares these concerns. Hot, dry summers with occasional downpours and wetter winters are expected more often in the future by the KNMI, while the demand and use of water is still increasing.

Water buffering, sub-irrigation and more

The collaboration of the parties involved will be essential to prevent flooding and to achieve a good water supply. Har Frenken of the Limburg Water Board: "Eighty percent of the precipitation that falls now travels fairly quickly to the Meuse and then on to the sea. If we can retain that water much more and allow the groundwater level to rise as a result, many problems with drought, but also damage caused by water, can be tackled". Together with the province, the water board has drawn up a plan to raise the groundwater level by thirty centimeters using measures such as water buffering and sub-irrigation. Later this year the province will also present a new water management program. WML is also investigating the possibilities of guaranteeing the water supply for the longer term.

Sources: 1News, De Limburger