Van Oord is to construct nature-friendly embankments along Lake Kleine Noorder IJplas in Amsterdam and undertake restoration work on the island of Ierst, a nature sanctuary in Lake Markermeer. Both projects will be carried out on behalf of Rijkswaterstaat, the Netherlands’ department of public works. With these projects, Van Oord will be helping to improve water quality and achieve the objectives of the European Union’s Water Framework Directive.

The EU’s Water Framework Directive came into effect in 2000 and is aimed at achieving and maintaining good ecological and chemical status in all surface waters and groundwater by 2027 at the latest. Both the Ierst and Lake Kleine Noorder IJplas projects involve measures arising from the Water Framework Directive. Rijkswaterstaat has combined the two projects into a single tender, referred to as the ‘Knierst’ tender, which it has awarded to Van Oord.

To improve water quality in the North Sea Canal area, Van Oord will construct more than 700 metres of nature-friendly embankments along Lake Kleine Noorder IJplas in Amsterdam. The embankments will consist of double rows of stakes filled with brushwood and willow branches. These structures will create sheltered areas in the shallows that are a safe and attractive habitat for plants, birds and fish.

One of Rijkswaterstaat’s key requirements is that the equipment used during the projects must be zero-emission. Van Oord is a leader in emission-free operations and deploys advanced electric earthmoving equipment and zero-emission crane vessels, all in an effort to reduce overall nitrogen emissions in the building sector. During construction of the nature-friendly embankments, Van Oord will be deploying electric earth-moving and transport equipment, thus meeting the requirement to carry out at least 70% of the work with zero-emission equipment.

The second project that forms part of the tender award is the restoration of Ierst, an island that serves as a nature sanctuary in Lake Markermeer. This artificial island was created in 2013 as a trial, but erosion has caused most of it to disappear. The restoration work will focus on increasing elevation on the island and developing sheltered underwater zones for fish. These futureproof sheltered zones will be created by constructing an encircling brushwood dam within the existing rock dam on the island, leaving openings for fish to pass in and out. The brushwood dam will be filled with material dredged during waterway maintenance, as this is a sustainable way to reuse natural materials.

In addition to design and construction, Van Oord will also be responsible for drawing up a management and maintenance plan for both projects. The work is expected to commence in early 2025. Van Oord and Rijkswaterstaat have set aside the next few months to optimise the design, apply for permits, and coordinate project activities with local residents and local authorities.