The last few months have been a stark reminder in Europe of the power of floods and the devastation they can cause. But could nature, rather than heavy engineering, solve our flood management problems?
The Scheldt estuary in Flanders has long been on the front line of flooding. Its low-lying landscape and open connection to the sea make it very vulnerable to storm surges. When sea levels rise abnormally due to high winds and low atmospheric pressure, this weather phenomenon can lead to significant flooding during high tides.
“When there is a high tide combined with a storm on the sea, and if the storm and the wind blow from the northwest, this pushes the water into the estuary, so we need protection,” explains Elias Verbanck , a Project Manager at the LIFE SPARC project.
A solution based on nature
Rising sea levels caused by climate change only increase this threat of flooding. But rather than building heavier barriers, a nature-based project called LIFE SPARC aims to create more space for the Scheldt while simultaneously developing a thriving estuary ecosystem.
Using a network of levees and locks, flood control zones act as a buffer, capturing excess water during a storm surge before slowly releasing it back into the river.
“When a storm surge occurs and water levels are very high, water will overtop the embankment and water will flow from the river into the controlled flood area, supplying water to the area and then feeding the marshes, and then, when there is a strong storm. At low tide, the water returns to the river through the system of locks,” explains Elias.
But flood protection isn’t the only benefit.
“These coastal marshes are very important for nature. They are very rare,” explains Elias, adding: “Coastal freshwater marshes are important for fish, but also for birds; not only for the habitats and wildlife themselves, but also for their regulatory functions. They are very important for the nutrient balance of the Scheldt. They are actually essential. They bring oxygen into the water, which is of course very important for life, and this marsh also has a carbon sequestration and storage function. »
Rethinking our relationship with water
The nature-based solution along the Scheldt Valley is just one example of how climate change is forcing us to rethink flood protection and our relationship with water.
The idea of working with nature rather than against it, to become more resilient to climate-induced floods and droughts, was also a central theme at the recent Green Week in Brussels.
“We thought technical solutions would solve everything, but now we see that is not the case, especially when it comes to climate change. Nature-based solutions can help us, for example, by keeping water on roofs and in gardens, and on a larger scale, by giving space to rivers and retaining water in the ground. , said John Boon of the International Federation of Landscape Architects. in Europe.
Echoing this sentiment, Elias concluded: “Doing nothing was not an option. When water doesn’t get the space it needs, it takes it. And that would be a disaster. So we came up with a plan. A plan with large controlled flood zones, and we decided to combine that with new natural development.
