Part 8/12:
Extensive Flood Defenses: Delta Works
Despite the success of Zuiderzee Works, disasters can still strike. The Great Flood of the North Sea in 1953 devastated extensive areas of farmland, leading to the implementation of the Deltawerken, or Delta Works. This intricate system of dams, sluices, and barriers represents one of the most ambitious flood defense programs globally, designed to offer a significant safety net against rising tides without entirely isolating inland waters from the sea—a feat that would have far-reaching ecological consequences.