Jointly understanding and validating the system and challenges

Low coastal areas like the Netherlands and Belgium experience salt water intrusion and therefore limited sources for fresh water. In the south-western region of the Netherlands fresh water is obtained from the Biesbosch basins, which are located at least 100 km from the consumers. These consumers are industry, households and agriculture/livestock. With increasing fluctuations in precipitation and (likely) sea level rise, this fresh water stress is very likely to increase in the (near) future. In order to decrease the dependence on remote fresh water sources, and thus increase local resilience, precipitation should be better collected and preserved, instead of immediate discharge to the (saline) sea in order to prevent flooding. Integrating fresh water storage and supply in spatial planning, while maintaining or even upgrading the water quality, benefitting all stakeholders is quite a challenge for current and future delta development.