Flood risk analysis for the river Scheldt estuary

This report gives an overview of the history of flood risk management along the Scheldt estuary. The purpose of this overview is twofold. It documents the results obtained in the first activity of the Task 25 Pilot, being focused on flood risk analysis, both in historical perspective and with regard to current policies. Secondly, it provides an introduction to the Scheldt estuary for other partners in the FLOODsite project which will use the Scheldt Pilot for their own tasks and activities. The Scheldt estuary is a clear example where integrated water management is required. Integrated means in this case: meeting the objectives for 3 major basic functions and values of the estuary: safety, accessibility (navigation) and ecology. Recently finalised and ongoing projects, such as Proses and the SIGMA plan show a highly multidisciplinary approach in order to fulfil these objectives. From the perspective of flood risk management we see a significant difference in approach between Belgium and the Netherlands. The Belgian New Sigma Plan has used an approach that is strikingly similar to the FLOODsite methodology, i.e. going through the three phases Risk Analysis, Risk Assessment and Flood Management Strategy formulation. In contrast, the Dutch flood risk management was developed over a long historical period, with the Delta Plan as the final apotheosis. In the time the Delta Plan was formulated, there was hardly any attention and technology available to determine flood probability and flood damage.Floodsit