The $US3.3 billion dollar Oosterscheldekering is the largest of the Netherland’s 13 Delta Works dams. It’s goal: to reduce flooding in the Southern part of the country to once every 10,000 years. The rest of the nation will get it once every 4,000. America will get it, RIGHT ABOUT NOW.
It spans 9km across the Oosterschelde estuary and was by far the the most difficult and expensive portion of the Delta Works project. Essentially a massive floodate, it’s comprised of 65 concrete pillars—weighing 18000 tons apiece—that support 62 steel doors. Each door is 42 meters wide and takes a full hour to swing closed — just enough time for a smoke and a pancake. (smoke whatever you like—this is the Netherlands, after all.)
The Oosterscheldekering was originally envisioned and (partially) built as a solid dam, which would have turned the Oosterschelde into a freshwater lake. However, after numerous environmental protests and much political wrangling, designers added the gates to allow salt water to cycle through with the tides. These gates only close when sea levels rise more than 3 meters, something that’s happened about 24 times since its completion in 1986. Never hurts to be prepared!
top image courtesy Dr. Henkenstein via Flickr
olearymo
Friday, May 20, 2011 at 12:25 PMThe Dutch working on those would need a lot of… courage!
geddit? geddit? The… oh never mind.
Also, i wonder if they ever clog. CLOG, geddit?
*ducks*
Paul
Friday, May 20, 2011 at 4:00 PMThe US is more interested in building weapons of war. The whole country is geared up towards it ranging form the obvious weapons and expanding to its technological dominance in the war zone to more subtle things like indoctrination of its youth to lay down there lives for the country (Morning pledge of allegiance) to keeping 94% of its population poor. The floods only affect the poor and they they don’t vote do they.
If it was different they would have looked nationwide after the Katrina Floods.
Steve
Friday, May 20, 2011 at 11:54 PMI know there’s a time and place for geopolitical debate, but…. put on the tinfoil hat buddy.
Nodeity
Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 9:39 AMYeah,.. this prolly isn’t the place for it, but I do agree with your sentiment. Just look at the Mississippi Delta area, after Catrina and BP people there have had no real support at all…
Paul
Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 12:38 PMI am just saying if the Dutch (what have they done apart from make ovens) could have done it why not the US and not have another 5 stealth fighters.
ZS
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 4:17 PM“HEAR-HEAR”, Paul!