Local policies for operational groundwater management

In 2009, the reviewed Dutch Water Law was adopted. A major change with regard to the previous law concerns the responsibility over operational groundwater management. Whereas previously provinces were responsible  over operational groundwater management, the new law transferred this responsibility to the water boards. To implement these changes the water boards were summited to develop groundwater management policies on the short term. One of the water boards contracted Acacia Water to support the theoretical underpinning of their groundwater management policy.

The development of the groundwater management policies was supported with hydrogeological knowledge, in-depth assessments and scenario studies. The starting pint of the studies was the existing hydrogeological system. By means of an integrated approach the policies were adjusted to fit the board’s long term vision.

Because most land use in the water board’s administrative area highly depends on water management, the board wanted to maintain a long term enabling environment for these activities. An integrated vision, wherein surface and groundwater are equally important, is crucial to achieve their self-established goals. Herein, the in-depth hydrogeological underpinning of decision and policy making is quintessential.