News

Flooding in Venice is becoming increasingly frequent and poses a growing threat to the city and the lagoon. The cause is relative sea-level rise: a combination of sea-level rise due to climate change and local land subsidence, which has been making Venice more vulnerable for over 150 years. New research by the University of Salento, the University of East Anglia, University of Venice, and Deltares, among others, shows that, in addition to existing protection, further adaptation measures are inevitable to keep Venice liveable in the long term.

A new paper led by Valeria Di Fant (Deltares / Utrecht University) reveals that Europe has far more opportunities to accelerate climate adaptation than usually is recognised. Rather than responding only when climate risks become urgent, the study showcases how political momentum, public support, availability of resources, technological innovation and/or routine maintenance cycles may accelerate adaptation action.

Many innovative ideas start small: at a workbench, in a start-up, or within an SME that has a smart solution for a major societal challenge. But a good idea alone is not enough. The step from innovation to real-world application requires knowledge, testing opportunities and the right partners. That is exactly where the Deltares SME Challenge comes in.

Flooding caused by extreme and prolonged rainfall is occurring more frequently across Europe. The way countries recover afterwards varies widely. These differences offer valuable lessons. That is why, under the umbrella of the JCAR ATRACE programme, policymakers, experts and practitioners from several European countries will gather from 14 to 16 April for a workshop to exchange experiences.

It is now possible to use a model to map the distribution and concentrations of particulate matter from tyres and road wear anywhere across the globe. This is important for taking precautionary measures and, in the long term, for developing legislation and regulations. The model can be applied to both water and soil.

Deltares and Sweco have developed land subsidence maps for new building projects. They provide project developers, municipal authorities and the national government with a clearer picture of where new building projects on soft soils are possible and which measures are required. The maps are a valuable building block as the Netherlands has plans to build 900,000 homes between now and 2030, and to increase the rate of construction to 100,000 new homes a year.

As 2050 approaches, much of the Dutch sewer system is reaching the end of its life, with investments of billions of euros around the corner. More and more municipal authorities are opting for DIT sewers (drainage infiltration pipes) but an adequate systematic basis is still lacking with respect to the costs, benefits and operation. A national survey by Deltares found considerable variation in the use of DIT sewers.

Around the world, in nearly every delta, people can adapt to rising sea levels using today’s technological capabilities, materials, and space, according to researchers from Deltares and Utrecht University. In a new study - the first global assessment of the physical solution space of global deltas - experts studied nearly 800 deltas, representing ~96% of the global delta land area and home to roughly 350 million people, to determine their opportunities for sea-level rise adaptation.

The Eastern Scheldt barrier has been protecting a large part of the province Zeeland from high water for over 40 years. As the storm surge barrier is in need of major replacements and renovations after decades of use, Deltares carried out extensive scale model tests in 2024 and 2025 on behalf of Rijkswaterstaat. The results are now available.

Deltares has published a new appendix to its earlier published report 'Strategic Water Systems Planning, A Framework for Achieving Sustainable, Resilient and Adaptive Management'. Discover how Deltares is integrating AI into water systems planning to make decision‑making faster, smarter and more resilient.

Across Europe, communities are facing the effects of climate change: damaging floods, extreme heat, long droughts, and increasing wildfire risks. These challenges don’t wait for policy cycles or research programmes, they affect daily life, public safety, and local economies. Deltares supports these regions with practical, science‑based tools and expert guidance through the CLIMAAX and CLIMAAXNext programmes, helping them assess climate vulnerabilities and strengthen their resilience.

The Deltares Aquality App has provided a detailed picture of the spatial and seasonal distribution of fresh, brackish and salt surface water in Zeeland. Since the Province of Zeeland launched a participatory measurement campaign in 2022, farmers, citizens and students have collected more than 6,000 EC measurements, which have been stored in the app.