Narrative :
Through the WIJ-Water project, Flanders and the Netherlands are collaborating to create a climate-resilient and sustainable region. This is being achieved by transforming the polder landscape from one focused on drainage into one that can hold and manage water. WIJ-Water will serve as a catalyst for future cross-border collaboration and investment in a unified water system that will act as a freshwater battery for the polders in both Flanders and the Netherlands.
WIJ-Water’s goal is to enhance climate resilience in the polder regions of North-West Flanders, East Flanders, and Zeeland Flanders. The aim is to stabilize groundwater levels in line with land use, improve water safety, and reduce salinity. The first step is to maximize the retention of freshwater within the polder landscape. Following that, the focus will be on maintaining water in the existing channels and watercourses for as long as possible.
It is essential to reimagine the current drainage infrastructure and implement an integrated approach to water management.
Our touch :
Our contribution focuses on creating digital twins (virtual representations of the existing water system) to monitor operational water management and the implemented water strategy.
To achieve this, we will use our in-house technology to provide real-time insights into:
- observed and predicted flow rates, water levels, and associated risks
- water quality data and ecological quality models
- knowledge transfer on the functioning of measures related to climate change and adaptation, drought, and water excess in a broader sense (e.g., workshops, conferences, articles, etc.).