Beyond the art of diking: interactive policy on river management in The Netherlands

Abstract

High water is a recurrent problem in the rivers that form the delta of the Netherlands. Understandably, the government is deeply concerned about the safety of those who live and work near these rivers. This paper considers recent trends in the Dutch approach to water safety. Whereas the traditional solution had been to reinforce the dikes, the trend is now toward integrated river management. Accompanying this development is a new strategy of governance. Increasingly, people recognize the value of an interactive approach to policy. This paper sheds light on the conditions that promote interactive governance when the state adopts a new approach to water safety.