Managing Extreme Events in Our Riverine and Coastal Areas: Reflections on the Dutch Approach

Date: 
September 14, 2011

Location

Resources for the Future
1616 P Street First Floor Conference Center
Washington, DC
United States
38° 54' 34.0596" N, 77° 2' 14.388" W

In the Netherlands, water management is a daily activity. Without dikes and coastal dunes, close to two-thirds of the country would be under water. Building on centuries of water management, the Netherlands has recently adopted a policy of "Room for the Rivers" as part of a new Delta Programme to improve flood risk management in the face of a changing climate. What have the Dutch learned from their long history in managing water and their new flood policies? Can their experience offer any lessons for the United State?

During this breakfast seminar, the Netherlands' Delta Commissioner will offer remarks on what his country has learned about floodplain and flood risk management and discuss new policies his country is adopting. Other panelists will provide commentary on the context of the issues in the United States, U.S. experiences with flood risk management, and emerging policy options going forward.

Who:

Speaker:  Wim Kuijken, Delta Commissioner of the Netherlands

Panelists:

Sandra Knight, Deputy Federal Insurance Mitigation Administrator, FEMA Len Shabman, Resident Scholar, Resources for the Future David Conrad, Representative of the Water Protection Network and Independent Consultant

Moderator: Carolyn Kousky, Fellow, Resources for the Future

Pastries and coffee will be provided.

Please register online at: http://www.rff.org/Events/Pages/Managing-Extreme-Events-in-our-Rivers-and-Coastal-Areas.aspx