Page "Delta Works" Paragraph 33

Due to climate change and relative sea-level rise, the dikes will eventually have to be made higher and wider.

This is a long term uphill battle against the sea.

The needed level of flood protection and the resulting costs are a recurring subject of debate.

Currently, reinforcement of the dike revetments along the Oosterschelde and Westerschelde is underway.

The revetments have proven to be insufficient and need to be replaced.

This work started in 1996 and should be finished in 2015.

In that period the Ministry of Public Works and Water Management in cooperation with the waterboards will have reinforced over 400 km of dikes.