Story overview

"Sand is the most important and widely used resource after water!" reveals Tommer Vermaas who is a Coastal Geologist at Deltares. In fact, in some places in the world, there is already a shortage. Why is that and do we still have enough supply in the Netherlands? To properly map the sand situation in our own country, Deltares is developing an improved model together with TNO – Geological Survey of the Netherlands on request of Rijkswaterstaat to calculate our sand supply on the seabed.

Deltares employs people who work daily for a climate-resilient and resilient world. One of them is Margreet van Marle, researcher on the effects of natural disasters on society. How do we continue to function as a society if infrastructure fails due to flooding or natural fires, for example? This is the question Margreet deals with daily. What inspires her in working at Deltares? We asked Margreet: "What is your reason?"

It is estimated that around 425,000 houses in the Netherlands have, or will have to, deal with foundation problems, such as rotting timber piles or shallow foundations in subsiding soils. Consequence: cracks, subsidence and even risk of collapse.

The number of wind turbines in the North Sea is growing rapidly. That is good news for the energy transition, but the North Sea was already a bit full. Shipping, fishing and the extraction of fossil fuels also takes place there, while new users are already emerging: from floating solar parks to hydrogen production. Deltares, TNO and MARIN, together with interested parties, researched multifunctional usage, i.e. how they can make wind farms suitable for several users.

Industries such as power plants or desalination plants withdraw water from rivers or the sea for cooling or freshwater production. Several problems can arise at the water intakes. One such problem is that large amounts of aquatic plant residues and floating debris can clog the intake point. This can bring production to a halt, resulting in potential damage such as power cuts. Deltares developed an innovative real-time debris warning system in which machine learning is applied. This allows industry to respond quicker and take appropriate action.

At Deltares, our people work every day to develop solutions for the major challenges of our time. One of them is Sytse Riedstra, a project technician with a background in mechanical engineering. By designing and testing models of dykes and water flows, he contributes to making the Netherlands—and the world—a safer place. What inspires him to work at Deltares? We asked Sytse: "What drives you?"

The Netherlands is a country of canals. In the years ahead, these waterways will be modified to make inland navigation future-resilient. However, this work is not straightforward. To prevent local disruption and to work faster, Rijkswaterstaat needs to know more about the interaction between canals and the subsurface. The drained bed of the Juliana Canal in Limburg was a gift: a unique opportunity for Deltares to verify previous measurements of the canal bed and improve measurement techniques.

The global decline in biodiversity has severe consequences for our ecosystem, where everything is interconnected. For example, the loss of species threatens crop pollination, degrades water, soil, and air quality, and reduces our resilience to climate change. While awareness is increasing, ecology is often overlooked in projects such as dike reinforcement, area development, or infrastructure construction. Deltares developed the D-Eco Impact Tool to quickly and clearly map the ecological impacts of projects.

The future impact of floods and dry periods in Europe depends on the condition of landscapes and their natural capacity to retain water. The retention and subsequent release of water is comparable to how a sponge works.

At Deltares, passionate individuals are driven by major societal challenges that demand in-depth knowledge. Among them is Rianne van den Meiracker. As an advisor and researcher on anthropogenic substances, she brings together her expertise and her love for nature in her work. She contributes to improving water quality and, in doing so, helps build a more sustainable world - something that has motivated her since childhood. What inspires her in working at Deltares? We asked Rianne: 'What drives you?'

Along the Dutch coast there are more than 250 kilometres of dunes. This is not only a beautiful natural area, but also a vital natural buffer against storm surges and floods. What happens if this buffer fails? Processes such as dune erosion and flooding can strike in a matter of hours, with major consequences. At Deltares, we want to better understand and predict these processes to keep our coast safe. Can artificial intelligence (AI) help us do this?

The International Meuse Symposium is a conference where scientists exchange knowledge on water-related topics. There are hundreds water conferences every year - what makes this conference unique is the Meuse basin as central topic and the open character of the symposium. Everyone who is interested in the Meuse or its catchment can attend, and what is presented in talks and posters is basically relevant for the participants, because it happens in their “home catchment.