Surface water ban to take effect near Amsterdam as Dutch drought worsens

A daytime ban on using surface water will take effect Friday in an area roughly between Amsterdam, Hilversum and Nieuwkoop due to persistent drought, water authority Amstel, Gooi and Vecht said. Between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., residents and businesses will not be allowed to draw water from ditches, rivers, lakes or canals to irrigate sports fields, gardens or pastures. The Rhine’s flow rate has dropped to 615 cubic meters per second, the lowest level ever recorded, Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) said in its weekly drought monitor.

The sprinkler ban is intended to prevent water levels from falling further as a result of the drought and heat. “We understand that a ban on extracting water affects gardeners, sports clubs and farmers,” said water authority board member Sander Mager. “Given the seriousness of the situation, we are asking for people’s understanding.” The restrictions do not apply to cooling bridges and locks, supplying livestock with drinking water, firefighting or municipalities watering plants.

More than 1.3 million people live in the area covered by the restriction. Amstel, Gooi and Vecht is making an “urgent appeal to everyone” to follow the ban. If the measure fails to sufficiently reduce water use, the restriction could be extended to cover the entire day.

Drought-related restrictions on extracting surface water, and in some cases groundwater, have been introduced in parts of the west, east and south of the Netherlands. In the Delfland region between The Hague and Rotterdam, growers are currently unable to use water from ditches to irrigate their crops.

Water authorities are deploying emergency pumps and holding on to water for longer in an effort to maintain water levels. They are also closing locks more frequently to limit the inflow of salt water.

The Meuse is also experiencing low water discharge, while groundwater levels remain low to extremely low across most of the country and the IJsselmeer water level continues to fall. “There is no end to the drought in sight,” Rijkswaterstaat said.

Warm and mostly dry weather is expected in the Netherlands and the catchment areas of the country’s major rivers over the coming week. The national precipitation deficit could therefore rise to around 300 millimeters, while some regions are already facing deficits of more than 400 millimeters.

Rijkswaterstaat said that restoring water systems, river flows and groundwater levels to normal will require an extended period of above-average rainfall. The agency expects low river flows could persist until December.

Rijkswaterstaat said the available measures for retaining and distributing water are becoming increasingly limited. The National Coordination Committee for Water Distribution and the Water Shortage Management Team are therefore planning ahead, developing scenarios for issues such as rising salinity levels and falling water levels in the IJsselmeer.

The aim is to ensure water managers and other sectors can respond in time if conditions worsen. The drinking water supply remains secure for now.