It is known that we have had dry summers in recent years. This resulted in a laundry list of problems, such as a low groundwater level and therefore water shortages for agriculture and nature. But also, for example, drinking water shortages.
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The recent rain has, according to meteorologist Maurice Middendorp van Buienradar, ensured that the groundwater levels have finally been more or less restored.
He does not mind: “It looks nice and fresh, beautiful, green outside, but nature actually needs more time than a year to recover properly. So let’s hope that this summer, especially in the it rains at night and the sun shines during the day. “
Too wet?
A big boost for nature. And a much wetter month than usual, but is there such a thing as too wet weather in the Netherlands?
The short answer is yes and no, says hydrologist Rob van Dongen of Staatsbosbeheer. “When we talk about nature, it has never actually happened. In urban areas you may be inconvenienced by too much rain. But most of nature can handle that.”
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The Dutch water system is nowadays mainly geared to the discharge of water. To combat problems of flooding.
“The Netherlands used to be a sponge and it absorbed a lot of water. What was then preserved for drier periods. But because we dug many ditches, for example, it is now a colander,” says Van Dongen.
Extreme cases
Ruud Bartholomeus, ecohydrology scientist at water research institute KWR, which conducts research into water in the Netherlands, also believes that the recent rainfall is a major boost for nature. But he does emphasize that in extreme cases rain can also cause nuisance.
“In 2016, for example, we had an extremely wet summer, which caused serious damage to agricultural land. This is not yet the case, but it could occur.”
Adjust
According to Bartholomeus, it will be important in the coming years to continue to make sharp adjustments in water management. “We had a very wet summer a few years ago and then extremely dry summers. It is time to take a little more risk and let it get a bit wetter after all those dry summers, but the trade-off between too much and too little water remains a dilemma.”
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