New Flanders-France Treaty Aims to Prevent Flooding in the Moeren

The Moeren polder region now has a formal cross-border plan for dealing with dangerously high water. Flanders and France have signed a new Moeren Treaty that sets out whether excess water should be sent toward Nieuwpoort or Dunkirk before being discharged into the North Sea.

The low-lying area stretches behind the coast from Westhoek to Dunkirk, with canals and waterways crossing the national border. During prolonged or heavy rain, drainage systems in Nieuwpoort and Dunkirk can reach their limits, leaving the region vulnerable to flooding.

The main drainage arrangements date back to 1890 and were updated in 1968. Officials say those historical rules no longer fit today’s extreme weather conditions. The new treaty creates a reciprocal assistance system that allows water from the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk Canal to be diverted temporarily in two directions. Its agreements and procedures are legally binding.

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Now we have developed a reciprocal assistance system that allows us to temporarily drain water from the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk Canal in two directions before releasing it into the North Sea. All the agreements and procedures are legally binding.

Two important installations were built with European support. One at the Speievaart in Veurne pumps water from the Moeren into the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk Canal. Another, at the Vier Sluizen in Dunkirk, allows the water to continue toward the North Sea.

West Flanders deputy Bart Naeyaert warned that the treaty alone will not prevent flooding. It forms part of the Weerbare Westhoek plan, which includes new dikes, more space for water and better coordination between canals and waterways. He said further work remains and urged the Flemish government to release promised funding quickly.

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This agreement alone will not prevent flooding.