Precipitation shortage remains near driest years

New figures and weather graphs from the KNMI show that the national average rainfall deficit in the Netherlands today is 248 millimeters. This means that the deficit is slightly above the line of '5% driest years', although the year 2018 and record year 1976 are still far away. In addition, the experience of the water boards is that there are currently no major problems with the supply from the larger rivers and lakes.

Differences per region remain present
However, there are certainly regional differences. For example, the situation in the northwest and center of the Netherlands (water boards Hollands Noorderkwartier and Zuiderzeeland) is still described as 'okay'. These areas can currently still supply sufficient water from the IJsselmeer and Markermeer. That is why no extraction bans have been announced in those regions (except Texel), although this is in any case fairly unusual in the province of Flevoland.

The situation is different in the region south of the Overijsselse Vecht (in the east of the Netherlands). The rainfall deficit in this area has now increased to more than 250 millimeters. That is why the Vechtstromen water board has decided to impose an extraction ban on vulnerable nature (Twente and part of Salland) as of August 14. This prohibition applies to groundwater extractions located within 200 meters of vulnerable groundwater-dependent nature. And although the situation north of the Vecht is slightly less dire, there is also a significant precipitation deficit here: 225 millimeter. It is therefore expected that a withdrawal ban will also be imposed here in the foreseeable future.

The Hunze en Aa's water board agrees that we are indeed moving towards the lower limit of a normal bandwidth, but that is not the only problem. The greatest difficulty is experienced when the supplied water has to end up in the right place. "Our region consists of two areas: the area from which we can supply water (around the IJsselmeer) and the area where we cannot supply water. In both regions the groundwater levels are declining, but on high sandy soils it is more difficult to cope with this. "There is no way to supply water directly here. That's why we had to install emergency pumps."

Biggest problems in the South of the Netherlands
However, the biggest problems with the groundwater level are visible in the south of the Netherlands. For example, the rainfall deficit in the Aa and Maas water board area has fallen sharply in the recent period. Measured from January 1, the precipitation deficit at Volkel on August 11 was 64 millimeters, while 4 weeks earlier there was a precipitation surplus of 35 millimeters. The figures show that the years 2018 and 2019 were still a bit drier. The rainfall deficit in this region in mid-August was 184 millimeters and 203 millimeters respectively.

Moreover, the Aa and Maas water board does not expect that this will cause problems with the supply of the Maas. "The flow rate in the Maas near Sint Pieter is currently around 25 m3/s. If this drops below 25 m3/s, then it is said to be a very low discharge. Although this will probably happen in the coming days, it is the expectation that the supply will be maintained," it writes on its website.

The problems are also significant in the province of Zeeland. After all, the freshwater shortage is an increasing problem in this region all year round. "In Zeeland we are in a unique delta and we have to deal with saltwater influences. The Oosterschelde and Westerschelde go straight through the province and that means that we have to deal with salty or brackish water almost everywhere," said Gert van Kralingen, director of the Scheldestromen Water Board, already knew this last week OUR. Farmers who want to irrigate their land must therefore look for alternative sources, such as the Volkerak-Zoommeer.

Major water shortage in Belgium
In Belgium the water shortage appears to be even greater than in the Netherlands. On August 95, approximately 8% of the locations had a very low or low groundwater level, the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) reported in mid-August. For comparison: on July 6, 'only' 32% of the locations had very low groundwater levels and 29% had a low groundwater level.

According to Valentijn Despeghel, member of the municipal council in Ypres, the situation has never been this serious before. "We see the water level dropping very quickly," he reports Het Nieuwsblad. "Almost all streams and buffer basins are dry." Despeghel claims that we are at the edge of what our ecosystem can handle. "This low water level is not sustainable. A lot of water is still needed before harvest. There is also no future for farmers if they become dependent on damage reports after yet another agricultural disaster."

Hendrik Vandamme, chairman of the General Farmers Syndicate (ABS), agrees. "We may have to reorganize to have sufficient water available in the future. I mean, among other things, switching to crops that are less susceptible to drought," he reports. "Availability of water can no longer be taken for granted. It may not have rained less than 100 years ago, but it rains much more in the winter and less during the growing season."

Does the rain bring relief?
For the coming days precipitation forecast and it has also rained very locally in recent days (sometimes even causing considerable inconvenience). However, it is difficult to predict what the effect of this will be on groundwater levels in the Netherlands. According to water boards, these showers can cause local flooding, but it is not enough to raise the groundwater level. "For this, there simply needs to be more precipitation for a longer period of time."

Thunderstorms are also expected in Belgium in the coming period (an average of 26,8 millimeters until August 19), but the VMM is also not confident that this will raise the groundwater level in the country. "Thunderstorm precipitation is often local and a large percentage of the precipitation runs off without penetrating the soil. This means that we only expect local and temporary improvements," said writes the organisation.