Land subsidence in the Netherlands is happening much faster than expected. This is apparent from the new subsidence map of the Netherlands that the Netherlands Center for Geodesy and Geoinformatics (GNC) presented. The decline can cause a lot of damage, both in cities and in rural areas.
The dry summers, salt extraction, the agricultural sector and the extraction of natural gas are the main causes of subsidence in the Netherlands. If the water level is too low, farming is no longer possible; the pressure from below becomes too great, causing salt water to rise to the top.
Pumping out water
However, pumping out water from the peat meadow areas also leads to problems. By lowering the groundwater level there, the polders remain accessible to tractors and cows. This has a negative influence on the soil. The peat dries out, causing the soil to sink earlier. It oxidizing peat also causes an increase in CO2emissions to the atmosphere.
A possible solution to prevent subsidence is the installation of drainage pipes. This allows ditch water to reach the entire plot, so that the peat dries out less quickly. However, if the soil becomes too wet, the yields drop. The land can also be used for other purposes, for example for nature and recreation. Wet agriculture (such as the cultivation of cattails) can also be considered.
Climate stress test
The subsidence in the Netherlands is included in the climate stress test by the various municipalities. The reason for this is that an area can become increasingly sensitive to subsidence, partly due to climate change.
Climate change is increasingly causing problems. Land subsidence is part of this. Due to the increase in temperature, we will also increasingly have to deal with dry summers. As a result, the bottom will also sink faster.
CO emissions2
It is necessary to take into account the CO2emissions. Farmers in the Netherlands can play a major role in this, for example by striving for climate-neutral agriculture. However, it is not only farmers who can contribute to improving the climate. We can all commit ourselves, for example by trying to minimize energy to consume.