Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Flemish “Blue Deal” plan, led by Minister Jo Brouns, aims to reduce floods and droughts. Despite a 50% budget cut in October 2024, new projects in Halen and the Demer area will improve rivers, raise dikes, and create water storage.
The Flemish government’s plan “Blue Deal” aims to improve Flanders‘ handling of floods and droughts. However, in October 2024, the budget for this plan was cut in half, which caused many people to worry about its success.
According to Environment Minister Jo Brouns, they will continue working on flood prevention. He recently visited Halen, a city that often experiences heavy rain, and announced new projects in the Demer area to reduce flooding. The Demer area collects water from cities like Halen, Herk-de-Stad, Lummen, and Diest. He mentioned that these projects are important for the environment and the economy.
How is Flanders improving flood protection and water management?
The Flemish Environment Agency has worked to increase the water storage in the Demer basin to over 10 million cubic meters. Authorities mentioned that this helps prevent flooding and supports groundwater supply during dry times. Recently announced projects will add to these efforts, but the full details are not yet clear.
Minister Brouns visited Halen to show that investing in climate adaptation is still important, even with budget cuts. He mentioned that Flanders is facing more extreme weather events, so keeping and improving flood protection is a top priority for local communities and decision-makers.
In Alken, Minister Brouns wants to give more space to the Grote and Kleine Herk rivers. This work will start this year. In Halen, the Velpe River in the centre is also being improved. The dikes will be raised and moved.
Mayor Erik Van Roelen (CD&V Plus) mentioned that they want to protect the houses on Koekoeklaan and Firmin Jacobslaan from flooding. The new dikes will be farther from the river to allow for more space for water. Some parts of the current dike will be removed.
In Halen, work is being done on the Velpe River in the town centre. The plan is to raise and move the dikes. Mayor Erik Van Roelen says this will give the river more space and help protect homes on Koekoeklaan and Firmin Jacobslaan from flooding.
The new dikes will be higher and farther from the river. This will create a winter bed for extra water during heavy rain. Some dikes will be made as walls to keep them strong. Mayor Erik Van Roelen mentioned that these changes will help protect the homes better from floods.
We want to protect the houses along Koekoeklaan and Firmin Jacobslaan from flooding for longer and better,
says Mayor Erik Van Roelen (CD&V Plus).
The new raised dikes will be further away from the river so that we create more space for the water.
The plans to improve flood protection are being developed now. The study agency will finish the designs by the end of February 2025. The city council will review these plans in March 2025. They hope to start construction next year.
Most of the funding will come from the Flemish government and the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM). If the city wants extra features, it will need more money from its budget. The total cost is not known yet. These plans are part of the Sigma Plan.
Then we will see how things go. We hope that the work can start next year. The costs are for Flanders and the Flemish Environment Agency. If we want something extra, we will have to pay extra ourselves,
according to the mayor.
Minister Jo Brouns has highlighted the need for more flood prevention measures along the smaller rivers that flow into the Demer River. This includes the Velpe, Herk, Grote and Kleine Gete rivers. He mentioned that the current flood buffers have helped reduce damage during floods, but they have their limits. Therefore, more actions are necessary.
Meetings are taking place with local governments, farmers, and nature organisations. They are working together to create projects that will improve flood defences and make these rivers more resilient to climate change.
The existing buffers have already prevented a lot of disasters, but they also have their limits,
explains Minister Brouns.
According to Minister Brouns, the plan aims to spread floodwaters across the whole valley. This will help lower areas avoid flooding. They mentioned that it will also help recharge groundwater and support nature in the valleys. Along with this, current dikes will be maintained and checked to keep them strong.
Halen Mayor Erik Van Roelen supports plans to prevent floods. He believes it is important to keep water where it falls. He mentioned that this helps stop sudden floods from happening downstream. The plans come from discussions between local governments, farmers, and nature groups. They want to improve rivers like the Velpe, Herk, and Gete to handle climate change better.
According to Van Roelen, Halen is in a key spot for water flow. It gets water from many areas, which makes flooding more likely. He thinks several actions are needed. Along with building new dikes, restoring floodplains and creating water retention areas will help. These steps will work together to manage water and reduce flood risks in the area.
