ABSTRACT
6 January 2012, a dyke near Woltersum, northern Netherlands, is about to collapse. Water and sand flow through the dyke, threatening its stability. A combination of intensive rainfall and a north-western storm on the Wadden Sea is hampering the discharge of water. Water in the boezem systems, which are interconnected networks of water courses and lakes to store excess polder water, reaches peak levels. About a thousand inhabitants are evacuated. The January 2012 event fits in a series of recent high waters in this part of the Netherlands: 1993, 1995, and 1998. In 1998, the situation was serious: near the city of Groningen water flowed over dykes, a dyke near Winschoten almost collapsed, and three polders were inundated to prevent the flooding of built-up areas. The inundation damaged Gasunie's gas infrastructure and led to huge damage claims.
