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Designed for Dry Feet: Flood Protection and Land Reclamation in the Netherlands

Abstract

  • Few countries exist where humans have exerted a greater influence in shaping the landscape than the Netherlands. Located in the lowland delta of three major rivers, this small European country has fought for more than a thousand years to protect its inhabitants from floods and to reclaim flooded land.

    Designed for Dry Feet explores Holland's unique challenges in water control and management. Hoeksema discusses the Netherlands' history of flood protection and land reclamation, as well as the history of water management organizations. He focuses on specific activities and projects, such as simple dwelling mounds, 17th-century windmill-powered lake draining systems, 19th-century steam-powered drainage activities, and 20th-century land reclamation and flood protection projects. Hoeksema also includes a "Sites to Visit" supplement, which he organizes into six excursions designed for those planning a trip to the Netherlands.

    This book is a great asset to civil engineers from all over the world, as the technology from one country's battle with flood protection is borrowed to rebuilt others.

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Front Matter
i–xi
    Chapter 1:
    Land Reclamation and Flood Protection in the Netherlands: An Historical Overview
    1–24
      Chapter 2:
      Dwelling Mounds: An Escape from the Floods
      25–33
        Chapter 3:
        Draining Noord-Holland Lakes
        34–47
          Chapter 4:
          Draining the Haarlemmermeer
          48–61
            Chapter 5:
            Reclamation of the Zuiderzee
            62–81
              Chapter 6:
              The Rivers
              82–92
                Chapter 7:
                Sea Defenses and Coastal Reclamation
                93–102
                  Chapter 8:
                  The Delta Project
                  103–122
                    Chapter 9:
                    Water Management Organization
                    123–128
                      Chapter 10:
                      Excursions to Flood Protection and Land Reclamation Sites
                      129–136
                        FREE
                        References
                        149–150
                          FREE
                          Index
                          151–155
                            FREE
                            Back Matter
                            137–148