ABSTRACT
In The Netherlands water management has long been a major policy issue. A large part of the country is below sea level, so on the one hand the sea has to be kept out by means of artificial constructions, but on the other there is also an influx of fresh water (by rivers, rain) that has to be regulated quite carefully by an intricate water management system, not least while it is used for a number of vital purposes (drinking water, agriculture, fishing, etc.). Nowadays the quality of Dutch waters is a major concern.
