Where Waters Breathe | South West Dutch Delta – Netherlands | Documentary
How do salt marshes protect the Netherlands from floods, and what happens when natural systems are altered?
In this episode of “Where Waters Breathe”, we explore the South-West Dutch Delta, where engineering, ecology and climate adaptation collide.
The South-West Dutch Delta, where the Rhine, Maas and Scheldt rivers meet the North Sea, is a dynamic landscape of mudflats, sand dunes, tidal marshes and wetlands. After the devastating 1953 flood, the area was reshaped by the Delta Works – a monumental system of dams, locks and storm surge barriers that dramatically improved water safety, while also altering natural tidal dynamics.
Today, this transformed delta faces new challenges. Erosion, declining sedimentation, water quality issues and “sand starvation” affect coastal channels and salt marshes, while industrial activity, shipping, agriculture and climate change put increasing pressure on these fragile ecosystems.
In this episode, scientists and practitioners reflect on the critical role of wetlands in supporting biodiversity, providing nursery habitats for fish, hosting migratory birds, storing carbon, and reducing wave energy. As a RESTORE4Cs Case Pilot, the South-West Dutch Delta is also a testing ground for climate-adapted wetland restoration, exploring how nature-based solutions can strengthen flood protection, improve water quality and support long-term climate resilience.
The episode highlights ongoing research, including blue carbon assessments and integrated water management strategies, while emphasising the importance of long-term planning, interdisciplinary science and local community involvement. As sea levels rise and existing infrastructures age, the future of the Delta depends on decisions being made today, at the interface between water, land, nature and society.
“Where Waters Breathe” is a visually rich documentary series that takes audiences to the living edge of Europe, where land, water, people, and climate meet. Developed within the EU-funded RESTORE4Cs project, this six-episode series journeys across some of Europe’s most emblematic coastal wetlands. From the Valencian Wetlands and the Camargue in the Mediterranean, to the Ria de Aveiro and the South-West Dutch Delta along the Atlantic coast, and onward to the Curonian Lagoon in the Baltic Sea and the Danube Delta in the Black Sea, each episode focuses on one RESTORE4Cs Case Pilot. Together, they showcase wetlands in different states of preservation, from well-conserved to heavily altered, and the diverse restoration solutions being tested and implemented across Europe.
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