A sea of data for the Wadden Sea

A dynamic landscape full of data

For decades, ecologists from Rijkswaterstaat, research institutes and provinces have been closely monitoring the Wadden Sea. Year after year, measurements are taken from currents and soil height to ecology and water quality. This continuous monitoring provides a wealth of data, which together tell a unique story about change, vulnerability and resilience.

For a long time, however, that story remained fragmented. Measurements and the associated data were scattered across organisations, in Excel files, folders and separate systems. "We actually had a mosaic of pieces of information," says Gerrit Hendriksen, senior researcher in Data Science & Water Quality and Data Steward at Deltares. "The knowledge was there, but the overall picture was missing."

And it is precisely in this growing data landscape that Deltares plays an important role. Because no matter how valuable data is, it is only when you can find, understand and reuse it that real insight is created.

From fragmented data to a single central platform

Sander Holthuijsen, Project Leader for Basic Monitoring and Datahuis Wadden at Rijkswaterstaat North Netherlands: "With the arrival of the Wadden Viewer, part of Basic Monitoring Wadden, that changed fundamentally. Datahuis Wadden is a collaboration between Rijkswaterstaat, the Ministry of LVVN and the Wadden provinces. All parties have data, but it was not centrally available."

Together with the Wadden Register, the Wadden Viewer forms a digital, visual gateway where data about the Wadden Sea comes together in one environment for the first time. From aerial photographs and elevation maps to current bathymetry: complex information becomes immediately visible.

We don't just build tools. We are building a digital ecosystem: a digital environment in which data, infrastructure, users and knowledge development are interconnected and continuously grow with the Wadden Sea system.

Gerrit Hendriksen, Senior Researcher Data Science & Water Quality and Data Steward at Deltares

Why Wadden data is so important

The Wadden Sea is a vulnerable system. Changing current patterns, land subsidence, biodiversity loss, sea level rise, recreation, fishing and transport are constantly interacting. Reliable, consistent data is essential for monitoring and understanding the area.

Basismonitoring Wadden collects this data as part of its integrated area monitoring. This gives managers and policymakers a better understanding of how the system is developing, whether measures are effective and where natural values are under pressure. But only when the data is accessible can you show its full value.

"Data only has an impact if people can find, use and understand it," says Gerrit. "That's where it all starts, really." "Data that cannot be found is essentially useless," says Sander. "In addition, as government agencies, we must make data that has been financed with public funds publicly available; after all, we have all contributed to paying for it."

A living infrastructure

The Wadden Data House fulfils precisely that role. It provides insight into the Wadden Sea in a single digital environment. Not as a static database, but as a living infrastructure that moves with the area.

The Wadden Viewer: see, combine, understand

The Wadden Viewer displays bathymetry as if it were art, with colours showing where channels are shifting and where plates are rising or falling. Clicking through reveals measurements, time series, trends and associated metadata. It feels intuitive to use, but behind the scenes lies a carefully constructed data architecture.

All information from Basismonitoring Wadden, about landscape, ecology, physical processes and human use, is given a logical place. Instead of folders and Excel tables, coherent stories emerge how seagrass beds are returning, where silt accumulates, how recreational pressure is shifting and how soil dynamics respond to storms. Everything is findable, accessible, combinable and reusable, fully in line with the FAIR principles.

Gerrit explains: "The Wadden Viewer not only shows individual datasets but also provides insight into the interrelationships between processes. Instead of separate measurements, you visualise integrated information about morphology, water movement and ecology, so you can see what is happening where and in what order. This provides a much more complete picture of the system."

Users remain in control. "You can choose which layers to visualise, combine them and even adjust the order. This allows you to analyse patterns and developments exactly as required for your research or issue."

The Wadden Register: find and reuse

For those who want to delve deeper into the data, there is the Wadden Register: the central catalogue in which datasets can be found, including metadata and download options. The register forms the link between visualisation, discovery and actual reuse of data.

FAIR data as a driver of progress

Behind the Wadden Data House lies Deltares' data strategy. FAIR data is not seen as a technique or obligation, but as a way of working. FAIR data focuses on making research and healthcare data accessible and reusable by applying the principles of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable. These are not buzzwords, but conditions for scientific integrity and innovation.

Because datasets are standardised and machine actionable, researchers and policymakers can easily reuse them. This saves time, prevents duplication of work and makes analyses richer and more reliable. Deltares itself also reaps the benefits: reports become repeatable, models can be updated more quickly, and projects build on previous results.

One example is the Digital Twin Wadden Sea within the van LTER-LIFE project. This is a digital representation of the Wadden Sea ecosystem, in which data from measurements and models come together in a single virtual research environment. Researchers can use this to analyse the functioning of the system and explore scenarios, for example around climate change and human interventions.

Because the underlying data (via the Wadden Data House) is FAIR, the team was able to start working with the existing data almost immediately from day one. "No download stress, no conversions, no missing metadata," laughs Gerrit.

From spark to flywheel

The Wadden Data House started small in 2017 as an experiment. "We showed what was possible," says Gerrit. "And then nothing happened for a while." Until organisations started asking about the concept repeatedly. Development accelerated from 2020 onwards. Deltares built a platform that not only displays data, but also provides a robust infrastructure for storage, metadata, security and further development.

The collaboration with the IT teams at Deltares was indispensable in this regard. They ensure that the system is secure, scalable and future proof. The data steward at Basismonitoring Wadden now manages the content and, thanks to the modular design, can compile new viewers within minutes.

The Datahuis has grown into a shared project that brings together technology, governance and domain knowledge. "We are really building this together," says Gerrit. "Partners, researchers and administrators each contribute something. That's what makes it strong."

Since joining Deltares in 2022, researcher Nathalie Dees (Data Science and Water Quality) has also been contributing to the Datahuis Wadden. She sees every day how valuable it is to have data on the Wadden Sea brought together in one place and made accessible to everyone.

“During my studies, I spent a long time searching for datasets like these. Now, they can easily be found through the Datahuis Wadden, which makes research faster and provides immediate insight into what is happening in the Wadden Sea.”

From data to dialogue

The Wadden Data House is more than just a technical environment: it is a community. During the annual Open Science Day, organised in collaboration with the Wadden Academy, the province and Tresoar, the Frisian historical archive, researchers, policymakers and data experts share their insights and experiences.

Users demonstrate how they use the data for ecological analyses, policy, scenarios, permits and Digital Twins, and provide feedback. What data is still missing? What could be improved? Where should the priority lie?

This feedback fuels further development. New functionalities are added, metadata is refined and datasets are supplemented. In this way, the Wadden Viewer grows along with the questions arising from the area.

A logical next step is to move from data to information. "Scientists are looking for FAIR data, policymakers are looking for information, processed data that provides insight and can be used to make decisions," says Sander.

"So, we have different customers. And if you have made the data properly accessible in accordance with FAIR principles, creating information products suddenly becomes a lot easier. Win-win."

Why is Deltares doing this?

The development of the Wadden Data House shows how Deltares views data: not as a by-product of research, but as an integral part of the knowledge base.

FAIR data is not a burden, but an accelerator:

• More collaboration
• Greater scientific integrity
• A future-proof water practice
  
  

It's digital evolution. Not changing all at once but improving a little bit every day. And when you look back, you see how far you've come.

Gerrit Hendriksen, Senior Researcher Data Science & Water Quality and Data Steward at Deltares

The Wadden Sea deserves insight

The Wadden Sea is a living system. And you can only protect a living system if you understand it. The Wadden Data House makes knowledge visible, accessible and shareable. It shows that data is more than just measurement points: it can guide policy, management and science.

"You don't have to know everything yourself," says Gerrit. "But you do need to know where to find it."