This helped to prevent erosion (the gradual process of decreasing the amount of sand at beaches) while working with the natural processes of the ocean instead of against them. One interesting part of the Dutch approach to water control is that it is built into their system of government. In 1992, they decided that the right to be protected from flooding was so important that they wrote it into their constitution. Now, every area has its own waterschappen (Water board) that is the part of the local government responsible for managing water. Since I paid water taxes at my apartment, I actually got to vote last week for the election of the water board! I enjoyed learning about how each party has a different approach to managing flood control, and it was very interesting to see how the process of voting is different in the Netherlands. It was much easier and faster than in America, and everyone is automatically registered to vote! This shows how the Dutch view flood control as such an important issue that the entire community should have a voice in how their water is managed.
