2013

Adhitya Wirayasa 38806, Locker 005

ES-EPM

Environmental Impact Study for a new

Branch of Zuid-Willemsvaart Canal in

Den-Boshch, the Netherlands

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I. SHORT SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

Historical Background The Meuse River (Maas) is one of the major rivers in Europe flowing through Netherlands along with

the Rhine River and draining into the North Sea. De Mello Vianna (1979) argues the Meuse River

started to flow from the upstream in north eastern France flows past Sedan and Charleville Mezieres

into Belgium, and then past Liege in Belgium into Netherlands in the province of Limburg and

branches out near the city of Den Bosch, to form a shared delta with the Rhine. One branch joins the

river Waal to form the Merwede whilst the remaining branch becomes what is known as the

Bergsche Maas.

In the early 17th centuries, the Meuse River was very importance to support the economic

development of both France and the United Dutch kingdom. In 1822, King Willem I gave order to

constructed a canal between the cities of Maastricht and Den Bosch to support industry. The canal,

Zuid-Willemsvaart, covers 122.5 km long and contains 21 locks. Soon after its completion in 4 years,

the Zuid-Willems Canal became the main north–south water way for trade and communication in

the United Dutch Kingdom (Bosch, 2009). Ever since the Belgians revolt against King William I in

1830 and received the independence with the ratification of the Treaty of London in 1839,

navigation of the Meuse deteriorate due to periodic drainage of huge volumes of water by the

Belgians and by Dutch themselves in the Limburg province in order to increase their prosperity

(Bosch, 2009). However, starting in the middle of nineteenth century, the Netherlands central

government launched river improvement program. To date, the canal has support many industry

and the central government has established new policies to support economic development, while

at the same time trying to preserve the environment.

Current Situation Nowadays, due to rapid development and need of higher navigation level, a new policy has been

established. This policy intent to accommodate two lines of traffic or to let big ship navigates in both

direction and also to reduce traffic jam since some part of the cargo still using the road. This new

approach is considered to reduce at least 5000 trucks in road traffic per day and will allow a bigger

freight passing through. In addition, the new policy also offers more opportunities for recreation and

tourism.

The government has selected two alternatives to implement the policy. Enlarging the current canal

was the first alternative while developing new branch was the second alternative. Since the first

alternative might disturb historic city of Den Bosch, the second alternative has been selected.

Development of new branch of Zuid-Willemsvaart canal consists of construction of new waterway,

bridges, and Canal Park (Figure 1). The new waterway has been constructed between waterway

between the River Maas and Den Dungen including 2 lock complexes, 6 bridges for road traffic,

railway bridge, 4 underpasses, 5 pumping stations, construction of cycle paths and a maintenance

road, construction and modification of non-intersecting roads, as well as landscape park between

Rosmalen and ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Den-Bosch). Moreover, the construction of Canal Park intended for

its inhabitants and visitors and to make the most of nature, water, recreation and the canal itself.

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Figure 1. Outline work of new Branch of Zuid-Willemsvaart Canal

Source: http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/ )*1

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2. STAKEHOLDERS, BASELINE INFORMATION, AND REGULATION

IDENTIFICATION

Related Stakeholders In order to implement the policy, Rodewijk (2013) has identified several stakeholders that involved

in this project as follows:

National: "Rijkswaterstaat", Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment for development of

highway’s and larger rivers and channels;

Regional authority: province Noord Brabant

Local authority: municipality ‘s Hertogenbosch (den Bosch)

Special task: “Waterschap”, Water Board of Aa en Maas, organization responsible for

management and maintenance of water barriers, waterways, and surface water quality

through wastewater treatment.

Baseline Information and List of Relevant Environmental Laws and

Regulations

In order to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), baseline information should be

provided to predicting the effect of the policy/plan. The baseline information is very important to

allow the policy maker to know the "no change" and to which alternative can be measured against.

UNECE (2007) argues, there are at least seven group of the physical component should be covered

on EIA study, such as: 1) ground and surface water (quantity, quality and allocation); 2) Ecology

(biodiversity, flora and fauna); 3) soils and geology; 4) climatic factors and air (including adaptation

to climate change); 5) landscape (including beauty, variety, and peculiarity); 6) human population

and health; and 7) cultural heritage (including tradition).

A set of environmental and water laws and regulation have to be address in order to implementing a

project. In the Netherlands, there are at least two levels of regulations that are EU regulation and

Netherlands regulation (National, province, municipal). The list of regulations can be described as

follows:

EU regulation:

Water Framework Directive of 2000

Netherlands regulation: (source: De Heer, et al, 2004)

The Dutch Constitution, Article. 21. Give orders to the public authorities about water.

The Water administration act 1900. Defines the duty of the Rijkswaterstaat as the advisory

committee on water legislation.

The Groundwater Act. Regulates the allocation of scarce groundwater resources and only

sets quality requirements with respect to the infiltration of water into groundwater.

Soil Protection Act. A general obligation to avoid, and if necessary, to remedy soil and

ground water pollution.

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Surface Waters Pollution Act. Protection of surface water quality and appointed the

Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management and the executive boards of the

water boards as the competent authorities.

Flood Protection Act and the Delta Act.

Public Works Act. All activities, which are not in line with the normal use of state-managed

infrastructure is subject to licensing.

Water Management Act. Quantative water management of surface waters.

Environmental Management Act. Coordination between the environmental permit and the

permit issued under the Surface Waters Pollution Act, procedures for granting

authorizations under the Surface Waters Pollution Act and the regulations concerning water

quality requirements.

3. IDENTIFICATION OF ALL THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES Two proposed alternatives to address the new policy have been identified. Enlarging the current

canal was the first alternative while developing new branch was the second alternative. To choose

the best alternative, a score cards has been made (Table 1).

Table 1. Score Card Matrix of Different Alternative

Component Sub Component Alternative 1 Alternative 2

1. Population/ Economic Impacts + + + +

Human Health Social Impacts - - -

Noise - - -

Transport + ++

2. Landscape Landscape - - -

3. Flora and Fauna / Ecology - terrestrial - -

Biodiversity Ecology - freshwater - -

4. Cultural & Material Economic Impacts - - 0

assets Social Impacts - - -

Archaeological and Any other cultural assets

- - 0

According to score card, alternative two (developing new branch) might be the best alternative since

it have less effect to the cultural & material assets (including architectural and archaeological

heritage)

4. IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL EFFECT, MITIGATION MEASURE,

AND MONITORING PLAN

List of Potential Environmental, Social or Economic Impacts on Water and

Mitigation Measures Proposing mitigation measures is often included as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment

(EIA). Mitigation measures are needed on each phase of project development such as during

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construction phase, operation phase, and decommissioning phase. Beevers, and Clouting (2013)

believes some impact and mitigation measures on water can be explained as in Table 2.

Table 2. Sources of Potential Impacts on Water and Mitigation Measures during Construction

Source of Impacts Potential Effect Mitigation Measure

Suspended solids Increase in turbidity and siltation

Alternative piling techniques to minimize suspended solid release, runoff and erosion control, temporary bridges.

Vegetation clearance Reduce the stability of river channels, increasing the potential for erosion and associated sediment release.

Alternative piling techniques to minimize suspended solid release

Crossing and diversions, realignment of watercourses

Fine sediment supply might increase. Diversion might cause long-term impacts on the watercourse.

Construction of culverts will be undertaken in the dry to minimize potential contamination of the watercourse. Temporary diversions will be in place before culvert construction is undertaken.

outfall construction Fine sediment supply might increase

Sediment control, Construction control.

Oils, Fuels, and Chemicals Spillage from storage tanks or leakage during construction might affect the water quality and biodiversity.

Protection of watercourse from areas where spaying may occur with double sleeve, banded areas with impervious walls and floor lining.

Concrete , cement and admixtures

Accidental release into watercourse might affected aquatic organisms if pH elevated to or maintained above 8.5.

Storing potential pollutants or undertaking potentially polluting activities.

sewerage Uncontrolled release of waste water from sewers through pipelines during service diversion

Ensuring safety practices and good engineering to minimize the risks.

Contaminated land and sediment

Potential loss of aquatic flora and fauna could lead to pollution of ground water and surface water

Ground investigation to reduce suspended solids intrude to watercourse.

Flooding *) Risk of flooding during high rainy season

Ensure to localize the effect of flooding during construction

Canal debit for irrigation purposes*)

Loss agriculture production and or fisheries

Ensure sufficient amount of water can enter agricultural the territory

Note: *) Wirayasa, 2013

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Monitoring plan for Water Component Environmental monitoring during construction process (project planning, implementation, and

operation), and before construction process in EIA is compulsory. Vis (2013) argues that monitoring

activity intended for:

Assessment of baseline condition

Checking project compliance with agreed-upon condition for the project's approval

Reviewed the extent and severity of the environmental impacts against the predicted impacts

Identification of trend in impacts

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the prescribed mitigation measures

Evaluation of the overall effectiveness of EMP

Basically, environmental monitoring plan consist of set of parameter to be measured, how, when,

and where the monitoring activities undertaken (Vis, 2013). In Addition, there also a list of key actor

that should carry out the monitoring plan, and the actor who should received the report.

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REFERENCES

Journal/ Book/ Lecture Notes Beevers, L.C., Clouting, L.C (2013) Environmental Assesment: Environmental Impact Assesment (EIA)

& Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).Unesco-IHE Institute for Water Education

De Mello Vianna, Fernando (Ed.), 1979. The International Geography Encyclopedia and Atlas Berlin in

Bosch, Antoon (2009) ‘Canalise the Meuse! Do it. Now or never!’ Aspects of the struggle for the

improvement of the Meuse in the Dutch province of Limburg (1839–1925). Physics and Chemistry of

the Earth 34: 109–118

Rodewijk, F. (2013). Canal developments in the province of Noord-Brabant. Power Point

Presentation Rijkswaterstaat Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu

UNECE (2007) Resource Manual to Support Application of the UNECE Protocol on Strategic

Environmental Assesment

Vis, Rinus (2013) Environmental Impact Assesment. Lecture notes - Unesco-IHE Institute for Water

Education. Deltares

de Heer, et al. (2004) Towards Integrated Water Legislation in The Netherlands Lessons from other

countries. Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management / RIZA

Websites http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/water/plannen_en_projecten/vaarwegen/zuid_willemsvaart/opwaar

dering_omlegging_zuidwillemsvaart/ )*1, accessed 25 April 2013

http://www.uu.nl/faculty/leg/NL/organisatie/departementen/departementrechtsgeleerdheid/organ

isatie/onderdelen/centrumvooromgevingsrechtenbeleid/publicaties/Documents/TowardsIWL-

finalreport.pdf )*2, accessed 28 April 2013 for de Heer et al (2004)