Coastal protection of the North Sea coast is very important for maintaining the protection against water in the Netherlands and the north of Germany. Without proper coastal protection, the danger of flooding is high due to storm surges that can be caused by high wind speeds. Especially due to strong winds from the west, the water can be pushed up to several meters above normal.
Strong tidal currents
Not only storm surge is a threat to the coast of the North Sea, but also the tidal current that runs parallel to the coast. On the north coast of the Netherlands and Germany, the water flows between the large number of islands and the mainland and then in many places squeezes through only narrow spaces between the islands. These currents can be very strong and are therefore able to move large amounts of sand and hollow out dunes or create sandbanks.
Dykes and dunes as coastal protection of the North Sea coast
Dykes and dunes are mainly used to protect the North Sea coast. Dykes are artificially constructed dams along the seacoast that have been constructed in such a way that they protect the hinterland. Dunes are a natural coastal defense.
Halligen and sandbanks for protection
Besides protectors such as dikes and dunes, there are other protections such as halligen and sandbanks. Halligen are islands that are not protected by dikes and can therefore flood and dry up under the influence of ebb and flow. They can break the waves in a heavy storm. The numerous sandbanks that lie off the coast in some areas have the same effect. Halligen are mainly found in the German area of the North Sea coast and there they put less pressure on the dikes.
Five Dutch provinces on the coast
Five of the twelve Dutch provinces are located on the coast. From North to South these are Groningen, Friesland, North Holland, South Holland and Zeeland. In the north there are a number of islands off the coast such as Schiermonikoog, Ameland, Terschelling and Vlieland which belong to the Province of Friesland and the North Holland island of Texel. These islands were created by the advancement of the sea, separating them from the mainland. But the German part of the North Sea coast also has a number of islands such as Borkum, Juist, Stadt Norderney, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog und Wangerooge.
Without dikes and dunes covered by water
Good protection of the Dutch coast is very important because large parts of the country are below sea level. The Netherlands does not have its name for nothing and without the dikes and dunes about half of the country would be under water. The first dikes were already built by the Romans. The dunes on the North Sea coast mainly originated from the twelfth century and are covered with a special type of grass.
Important vegetation of the dunes
The vegetation through that grass is of the utmost importance to prevent the sand from crumbling. Dunes are also protected by the government because of their important function. Partly for this reason, it is not permitted to enter the dunes outside the paths in order not to damage the plants and to let them do their work by preventing erosion. In places where it is needed, extra protection is provided by stones or concrete, which breaks the waves.
Special nature reserves
A special nature reserve is located on the northern part of the North Sea coast, known as the Wadden Sea, and extends from Wangerooge in Germany to Texel in the Dutch province of North Holland. The area with a variety of unique plants and animals has been declared a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The area is home to rare fish, seals, crustaceans and shellfish, and millions of birds live. But there is more unique nature along the North Sea coast, such as the areas with a mixture of salt and fresh water. These areas are a true paradise for nature lovers.