De Vector

Drought exposes weak point on Twente Canal

Limited shipping at Eefde shows how water shortages, climate risk and major infrastructure challenges converge.

After the complete closure this summer, the Twente Canal has only partially returned to normal operations. A structural solution at Eefde may not arrive for years, according to current expectations, while the Netherlands is already facing major financial infrastructure challenges.

The problems on the Twente Canal have not ended after the exceptionally dry summer. Rijkswaterstaat closed the canal to shipping from 25 July because water levels threatened to become too low and the stability of quay walls and nature had to be protected. Shipping resumed partially at the beginning of September. From 7 September, ten lock operations per day were possible at Eefde, compared with around 35 to 40 under normal circumstances.

The core of the problem is that the Twente Canal is heavily dependent on the IJssel for its water supply. On 4 September, Rijkswaterstaat reported that flows from the Rhine and IJssel were still around half their normal level for that time of year. Temporary pumps are keeping the water level as high as possible, but a full restoration of lock operations could still take a considerable amount of time. During severe drought, the protection of flood defences, soil and nature takes precedence over the canal's availability for shipping.

For the longer term, a new pumping station at Eefde is being considered. According to NOS, based on information from Rijkswaterstaat and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, such a pumping station could be in place as early as around 2033 if studies, funding and implementation go smoothly. That is not a guaranteed completion date. The current system appears vulnerable when river levels are very low. NOS reports that earlier calculations for unfavourable climate scenarios indicate that such low levels could occur much more frequently around 2050, possibly about once every two years in the most severe scenario.

Eefde is also part of a broader infrastructure challenge. A government letter to the Lower House (Tweede Kamer) refers to more than 80 billion euros in financial challenges over the duration of the Mobility Fund and Delta Fund. Within that total, the Netherlands Court of Audit estimated a shortfall of €34.5 billion for Rijkswaterstaat's networks for operations, maintenance and renewal through 2038. On Prinsjesdag, the government announced an additional €5.1 billion for accessibility through 2040, including €1.5 billion for major maintenance, but said that difficult choices would remain necessary.

For businesses in Twente, the reliability of the canal has direct economic significance. During the closure, goods had to be transported by road more often, which can be more expensive and lead to more lorry movements. Port of Twente and businesses warn that repeated closures could affect future investment decisions. The scale of that effect remains uncertain. The policy choice is therefore broader than a single pumping station: the Netherlands must decide which waterways, bridges, locks and waterworks should be renewed first within limited budgets, while drought and climate change are raising the technical demands on that infrastructure.

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