环球英语 1361 Holding Back Water: The Delta Project
Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.
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And I’m Colin Lowther. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.
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In 1953, a flood destroyed Zeeland, a small Dutch state in the Netherlands. During the flood, the system protecting Zeeland failed. The system included dams and dykes. They were supposed to hold back and guide the water. But after the system failed, the water flooded into Zeeland. The flood killed almost 2000 people. In response, Dutch engineers developed a new flood control system: the Dutch Delta Project. Today’s Spotlight is on this system.
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After the flood, Dutch officials travelled to Louisiana in the United States. Louisiana is a state similar to Zeeland. Much of the state borders water. And in both Louisiana and Zeeland there are places where the land is below sea-level. So it is important for each place to have a system that holds back the water.
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In 1953, Louisiana had one of the best flood protection systems. The Dutch officials wanted to see this flood protection system. They hoped to learn from it. They understood that a better system could have saved many lives in Zeeland.
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When the officials returned home, they promised to build a new system. This was the beginning of the Dutch Delta Project. Engineers with the Delta Project worked together. They created quality systems to protect the Netherlands against floods. Because of the Delta Project, the Dutch now have one of the most famous protective flood systems in the world.
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But, history has a way of changing things. Now the Dutch are helping Louisiana. In September 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the coast of Louisiana. This large storm started in the ocean. High winds damaged many homes. In particular, people in the famous American city of New Orleans suffered greatly.
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Flood water broke through Louisiana’s protective system. The flood destroyed the walls and dams that were supposed to hold the water back. The water washed away homes and businesses. It shut off the electricity. It also destroyed fresh water supplies. The people had no fresh water to drink. Many people had no safe place to stay. Some were even trapped on the tops of their homes. The water had risen around them. They had to be rescued by helicopter.
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After Hurricane Katrina the people of Louisiana did not know what to do. They did not know how protect themselves from another flood. So, officials from Louisiana visited the Dutch in the Netherlands. They wanted to see the famous Dutch Delta Project system. The Louisiana officials hope that they can copy the Dutch system to help protect their state.
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So what makes the Dutch system so special? Dutch engineers built the system to be a storm-surge barrier. That is, the system protects their cities from the wind and rising water of a strong storm. During a severe storm, waters surge – they rise and move forward. This is what caused the flooding in Louisiana. The system protects against these surges. It took 30 years to build such a system.
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The Dutch system was a strong and intelligent design. Dutch engineers had prepared their cities for the future! Scientists expect water levels to rise in the 21st century. This is because of climate change. And the Dutch system, built in the 20th century, will protect their cities when the water rises.
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So, what does the Dutch system look like? And, how does it work? Well, the largest part of the system is the Oosterschelde barrier. The other parts of the system are similar, but smaller. The Oosterschelde barrier has 65 concrete piers. The piers help the barrier to stay in place. They connect to land. And strong concrete supports them. Each pier can weigh up to 18,000 tons! Between each pier there is a gate. The Oosterschelde barrier has 62 gates in all. And each gate is about 30 metres high!
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Cars can drive along the top of the Oosterschelde barrier. At places, it is 100 metres wide. The gates below are open during calm weather. That is because much of the natural environment of the area depends on the flow of the water - the daily tide. But, when there is a strong storm, the gates close. The rising water does not rise above the barrier to flood the cities.
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This was the system the Dutch started building in the 1950s. It has protected them from storms and rising water. And it will continue to protect them into the future.
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But, as with any project, there are always things to improve. Recently, Dutch scientists have seen a change in the environment surrounding the barriers. The Dutch have lost much of their wetland environment, the natural places at the edge of the water. This includes large sand hills. It also includes flat dirt areas - the mudflats. They have seen a decrease in the salt marshes as well. Each of these areas is special in its own way. They were part of the natural barrier between people and the sea. But they are also home to many animals. This loss is sad. But, the Dutch do need the barriers. They need to protect their cities and the people living there.
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So, Dutch engineers have a new idea. They want to build “soft” protections instead of building “hard” ones. They want to support the pier structures with swamps and sand. They want to use the swamps and sand instead of using concrete. They believe that using swamps and sand will act as a natural building method. They hope that the swamps and sand areas will naturally grow bigger.
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People from many countries are learning from the Dutch. The world’s climate continues to change. And this threatens many countries that border the world’s oceans. These countries hope to protect their citizens from rising oceans. And they also hope to protect their natural environment.
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Engineers from the Dutch Delta project reacted to one crisis. Now, they are helping people in many countries react to a new crisis. Their ideas continue to change, but by working together, they hope to hold back the flood water of the fiercest storms.
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The writer of this program was Rebekah Schipper. The producer was Luke Haley. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘Holding Back Water: the Delta Project’.
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You can also leave your comments on our website. Or you can email us at radio@radioenglish.net. You can also find us on Facebook - just search for spotlightradio. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.
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