Go-ahead for expansion of Dutch Marker Wadden archipelago with four new islands
Contractor Boskalis started the construction of four new islands of the Marker Wadden archipelago, the Netherlands, on 8 March.
The islands are constructed on behalf of nature conservation organisation Natuurmonumenten and national department of public works Rijkswaterstaat, and are expected to be ready by 2018.
The ceremony to mark the official start of the expansion took place on the first island that was completed in September last year.
The expansion was officially marked by Dutch minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen (middle) who revealed a large impression of the archipelago as it will look like by 2020. (photo: Marten van Dijl)
Public-private partnership
The construction of the four new islands in the shallow IJssel lake, one of the largest fresh water lakes in Europe, is financed by public and private organisations. Together they raised 38 million euro for this new phase of the development of the archipelago.
By 2020 the whole archipelago is expected to be ready, covering 1000 ha of land, marshes and mud plains.
Natural sedimentation
The construction is a show case of the concept of Building with Nature. Boskalis will only construct some dams. These dams are placed in such a way it traps sediment.
As the silt sediment accumulates, the predesignated areas will be filled slowly, creating land, marsches and mud plates.
First island
Last year Boskalis completed the construction of the first 250 ha island (see top photo). The work was limited to the construction of a rock dam to protect the island from storms and some silt dams and beaches.
These dams will trap the silt sediment of the lake that is essentially too soft for building an island.
Water quality
The archipelago will form a unique ecosystem that will boost the biodiversity and increase the water quality of the lake.
Moreover, the lake will become more attractive for water sports and nature lovers. The nature islands of the Marker Wadden will be accessible to the public.
Read also on this website
● Boskalis awarded construction of first nature island in lake IJssel, the Netherlands, 16 September 2015
● Sand Motor: Doing its job strengthening the Dutch coast, 19 September 2016
● IAHR2015: Next challenge is to engineer nature-based flood defences, 30 June 2015
● Dutch consortium shows oyster reef potential for coastal defence and food production in Bangladesh, 4 December 2012
More information
Natuurmonumenten
's-Graveanden, the Netherlands
www.natuurmonumenten.nl
info@markerwadden.nl
Boskalis
Papendrecht, the Netherlands
+31 78 6969 000
www.boskalis.com
Ecoshape/Building with Nature
Dordrecht, the Netherlands
+31 78 6111 099
www.ecoshape.nl
Video explaining the design philosophy of the new Marker Wadden archipelago.
Video on how contractor Boskalis constructed the first island with fine silt.