Maeslant storm surge barrier (The Netherlands)
Maeslant storm surge barrier
The Maeslant storm surge barrier is situated in the New Waterway, near Rotterdam. This last part of the Deltaworks was finished in 1997 to stop the need for expensive and time consuming dike reinforcements in this area. Together with the Europort barrier and the Hartel barrier, the Maeslant barrier forms a line of defence for the whole New Waterway Area.
To make sure the very busy shipping in this area is not being hampered, the barrier consists of two giant, hollow, semi-circular doors that can be closed in case of an anticipated high water level. In such an event, the docks are filled with water, so that the hollow gates start to float and can be turned into the New Waterway. Once the gates meet, the cavities are filled with water and the gates sink to the bottom, thus sealing off the 360 metre-wide opening. After the high water has passed the gates are pumped out and the structure begins to float again. Once it is certain that the next high water will not be another abnormally high one, the two gates are returned to their docks.
When the New Waterway is sealed off it is no longer possible for shipping to pass. The storm-surge barrier will only be closed in extremely bad weather – in probability once every ten years. A test closure will probably be conducted once a year in order to check the equipment. This will be done when there is little shipping. Because of the rising sea level the barrier will have to be closed more often, probably once every five years.
To make sure the very busy shipping in this area is not being hampered, the barrier consists of two giant, hollow, semi-circular doors that can be closed in case of an anticipated high water level. In such an event, the docks are filled with water, so that the hollow gates start to float and can be turned into the New Waterway. Once the gates meet, the cavities are filled with water and the gates sink to the bottom, thus sealing off the 360 metre-wide opening. After the high water has passed the gates are pumped out and the structure begins to float again. Once it is certain that the next high water will not be another abnormally high one, the two gates are returned to their docks.
When the New Waterway is sealed off it is no longer possible for shipping to pass. The storm-surge barrier will only be closed in extremely bad weather – in probability once every ten years. A test closure will probably be conducted once a year in order to check the equipment. This will be done when there is little shipping. Because of the rising sea level the barrier will have to be closed more often, probably once every five years.