Grazing banned on Dutch dikes due to drought, stability at risk

A grazing ban has been implemented on several dikes along the Wadden Sea in North Holland, including sections on Texel and the mainland, marking the first such measure in eight years. The High Water Board Hollands Noorderkwartier (HHNK) enacted the ban, effective Saturday evening, due to the extreme drought and heat drying out the grass to a critical level.

Livestock must be removed from the affected Waddensea dikes – specifically the Waddenzeedijk on Texel, the Balgzanddijk, the Amsteldiepdijk, and the dike on Wieringen – by Saturday at 6:00 PM. The prohibition will remain in place until the grass has sufficiently recovered, though a timeline for this recovery is uncertain. HHNK stated that the poor condition of the grass increases the risk of erosion.

"It is difficult to imagine now," wrote Water Board President Remco Bosma, "but in two months our dikes must withstand storms and high water from the sea." He emphasized that without these measures, high water, waves, and rainfall during the storm season, which begins in October, could compromise the dikes' stability. Currently, the dikes are stable, but HHNK employees will inspect 450 kilometers of drought-sensitive dikes over the next two weeks to identify potential subsidence, drought cracks, or wet spots early.

The water board is taking these steps proactively to ensure the dikes can withstand the challenges of the upcoming autumn and winter, despite the current dry conditions.