Roughage tour Week 20
Drought strikes in the Netherlands
The dry weather of recent months has caused groundwater levels to be very low. There have been some rain showers, but they don't seem to have helped much. What is the position on the plots?
The National Water Distribution Coordination Committee (LCW) reports in a report that the precipitation deficit is increasing significantly. Current figures show that there is a precipitation deficit of 79 millimeters. The groundwater levels are closely monitored, local decisions can be taken as soon as this is very low.
East-South Netherlands
They already indicated in February that a measure had to be taken at the Aa en Maas Water Board, so that they did not have to impose an abstraction ban in April. The water board now says it will only introduce a 5% rule (exception rule) when this is really necessary. They are not introducing this arrangement for the whole of Brabant, but for specific areas.
The De Dommel water board is such a specific area. A permanent ban, a half-year ban and a temporary ban have been laid down here. This water board also includes the Roughage Tour plot from Sint-Oedenrode (North Brabant). The participant has several plots here. The livestock farmer says he can still irrigate from another source. The same applies in Overloon (North Brabant). “Everyone in the neighborhood is irrigating from the irrigation well.”
| Drought | groundwater | Current state |
| Doetinchem | Normal/Low | 11.824/ 9.022 meters |
| Overloon (Environment) | Low | 19.980 metres |
| Sint-Oedenrode | Normal | 9.513 metres |
| Udenhout | Very low | 7.549 metres |
Drought on fields Roughage tour
In Aartswoud (North Holland) the participant indicates that there is still enough water in their region. There is little chance that an extraction ban will be imposed here. “If I compare it with the other participants of the Roughage Tour 2020, we are much less affected by the drought,” said the participant. In Zeewolde (Flevoland), the participant said that there has never been an extraction ban, but this could be due to extreme drought.
Expectations
The figures from the KNMI so far indicate that the coming year will be even drier than the years before. This can have consequences in many areas. It remains to be seen in the near future.
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