VAST PROJECT.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19461, 28 December 1934, Page 8

VAST PROJECT.

THE' ZUIDER ZEE. RECLAMATION WORK. MAN-MADE KINGDOM. I Recently a colony of Jewish refugees was settled on land reclaimed from Holland's old enemy—the Zuider 'Zee. The establishment of this colony —• known as Niewersluis directs attention to the vast engineering enterprise whereby the little Kingdom of Holland Is adding considerably to its area and creating farm land where fishermen have earned a living for hundreds of years. By 1958, if the plan is fulfilled, the Zuider Zee as a sea will have ceased to exist.

In its place (states the New York Times) will sparkle the placid waters of an artificial inland lake, the Yssel (Ijselmeer), only 560 square miles in area as compared with the 1378 square miles of the original Zuider Zee. But the Dutch have a proverb of which they are truly proud: “God made the world; we made Holland.” In substance it is true. Since the seventeenth century, when the first hint of this great reclamation project appeared in print, and since • the nineteenth century, when .more than 1.2,000 acres of rich land were reclaimed from Lake Y, near Amsterdam, the Dutch- have planned minutely and awaited the day when ■the restless, sometimes turbulent, Zuider Zee would be tamed for all time.

On June 14, 1918, while a world was still at war, the Dutch Government was authorised to begin the great project —7 the greatest reclamation work ever undertaken.

The plan was worked out by Dr. Cornells Lely, former Dutch Minister of Public Works. It provided for the construction of a sea-dyke, one and ahalf miles long, connecting the island of Wieringen with the mainland of North Holland. This was. completed In 1926. It also provided for a drainage and navigation canal for small vessels, extending along the western side of the Wieringen dyke. This, too, was completed In 1926. The main sea-dyke, -the most important part of the project, is about eighteen and pne-half miles long, continuing from the eastern end of Wieringen, north-east to the coast of Friesland, a Dutch province across the Zuider Zee. This dyke blocks -off the North Sea. 'lt was completed, after -eight years of difficult work, on May 28. 1932.

Secondary dykes inside the seadykes are provided for. They Will divide the reclaimed area of 555,000 acres into four polders ranging in area from 50,000 to 235,000 acres. About ten feet below sea level, the reclaimed land will increase the arable area of the Netherlands by about 10 per cent. There is to be a fre ( sh-water lake within the main sea-dyke to carry out to the 'North Sea the flood-waters of the Yssel River." This lake when completed will resemble a huge megaphone, the narrow end, at the mouth of the Yssel River, separating the north-east polder from the southwest and south-east polders. The wide end to the north, halting at the main sea-dyke, will separate the northwest polder from Friesland. A canal will connect Lake Yssel with the smaller Lake Y to the east of Amsterdam. This canal will separate the south-east and south-west polders. Opposition to proceeding with further reclamation has been raised because of the enormous expenditures involved during a time of reduced Slate Income. However, proponents of the plan point to advantages which will accrue upon completion of the project

Room for Expansion. It is shown that Holland, a crowded country with a population in 1931 of about GOO to the square mile, will be able to satisfy partly the need for expansion. Creation of more Ilian 5000 parcels of farm land is expected, upon which about 250,000 people may settle. It is argued that floods like that of 1915, which inundated and damaged a large part of the country near Amsterdam, will be made impossible, and that a huge reservoir of fresh water will he created in the middle of the country, which will benefit cattle and land during a drought. At present the Dutch farmer must often use the salt water of the sea, bad for crops and livestock. Dutch agriculturists estimate 1 that this alone will mean savings of millions of dollars. The work means a reduction in ihe number of unemployed —now about 255.000. It will keep about 3000 men busy for the next ten years. Another advantage of the scheme often referred to is -the direct connection between North Holland and Friesland, which is affords by means or the sea dyke. An automobile road atop the dvkc was officially opened on September 25, 1933. A railroad is planned. Favourable for Agriculture.

The reclaimed land will be especially favourable for agriculture, it is said, apart from I lie excellent fertility of the clayey soil, since Hie water levels of Hie polders will be five feet below the surface of Hie lowest land in the section. The project, it is 'said, will mean lower expenditures for dvkc maintenance, since fresh-water banks are less cosily than sea dykes. The total cost of tho reclamation work will eventually amount lo more than half a billion dollars. 3 lie drainage works have cost the Dutch Government 220,000,000 'dollars (about £44,000,000), including interest However, the estimated profit for -the Stale in 1958, when the last of the polders lo lie reclaimed will have acquired ils full capital value, will be about 50.000,000 dols. (£10,000,000). Building flic sea dykes presented enormous problems. A large working harbour between Wieringen and Hie coast of Friesland bad to be const met ed in order lo protect die materials and tiic means of their transportation. A complicated series of shiploeks and sluices was built, often under great 'difficulties. What was particularly feared was that, as the opening to tlie North Sea narrowed, tho swift, outflowing water would .scour llic sea bollom and thus imperil Ihe structure. The base of llic dyke, about 400 ft in width, therefore. consists of great slill darns made of strong brushwood mallrcsscs. 1/pon those maltresses boulder clay from lire Zuider Zee itself was discharged from barges or by means of floating cranes. Built up with sand and day and coaled with basalt, Ihn dyke, I wen tv-five feet above Amster(Gonlinucd in next column.)

dam »°>ca level, is now considered strong enough to withstand poundings •of lite powerful tidal currents, which sometimes reach a velocity of twentyone feet a second. Rich Soil Left. After the dyke was built, enormous pumping stations, said to be Ihe largest in Hie world, sucked the water away from the north-west polder, leaving the rich soil. Draining of the first lake cost the Government about 30,000,000 dollars (£0,000,000). However, operations in the northcast polder arc much easier, since the sea dyke has been completed. Locks have been built In the sea dyke which will accommodate vessels up lo 2000 tons. Communication between the waters is maintained by a system of twenty-five sluices, each about forty feet wide. During low tide they will discharge the waters of Lake Yssel. As land is reclaimed the Dutch Government will lease parcels for 99 years, with optional renewal at the end of that period. However, ownership will remain with the State. Subleasing will be permitted.