Project characteristics
• Natural erosion due to removal of riprap.
• Martens en Van Oord (MvO) has a great deal of experience working on Water Framework Directive (KRW) projects, such as NVO 1, KRW Zuid-Holland and KRW 3.
• The project comprises 17 banks and is the fourth package of KRW measures for the Maas.
Putting our expertise to good use
The fourth package of measures within the Water Framework Directive for the Maas must ensure that the natural character of the Maas between Reuver and Alphen is enhanced and the ecological water quality improved. Martens en Van Oord will be implementing the requisite measures for 10 kilometres of bank along the Maas.
De-stoning banks
Martens en Van Oord will be removing the stone bank cladding. This will render the banks prone to erosion and siltation, thereby giving rise to a less steep, more natural transition between land and water. A variety of deeper and shallower water zones will be required to ensure an ecologically favourable environment. This will create space for a wider array of flora and fauna. In turn, a healthy (or healthier) ecosystem will go towards ensuring cleaner water. Furthermore, such banks will give the river more space at high water.
Knowledge
MvO has ample knowledge and experience of similar projects. For instance, we have already been commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat to carry out work on 61 kilometres of Maas bank within the compass of the Natuurvriendelijke Oever Maas (NVO) 1 and Kaderrichtlijn Water (KRW) 3 projects.
Cooperation
For the purposes of this project, Martens en Van Oord is responsible for both designing the banks and applying for the requisite permits, permissions and dispensations. To this end we will be closely cooperating with Bureau Stroming for the ecological design, with consultancy firm Raap for localization and preventive excavations of artefacts that may be of archaeological interest, with ECG for disposal of CEs (conventional explosives) from the areas to be excavated, and with AHA/ACIMA for the necessary hydraulic calculations.
Water Framework Directive
The European Water Framework Directive has been in force since the end of 2000. This stipulates that European groundwater and surface water must achieve good qualitative status by no later than 2027. The measures that Rijkswaterstaat is implementing within the compass of KRW projects are geared towards improving ecological and chemical water quality. Martens en Van Oord previously bore responsibility for several Maas bank works under the NVO 1 and KRW 3 contracts and as part of the KRW 1 and KRW 2 projects, more in the west of the Netherlands.
