Raising the ground level

© dRO Amsterdam

Areas outside dikes can be raised in their entirety. The drawback is the amount of soil needed. Examples of this method in practice can be seen in the harbours of Rotterdam, IJburg in Amsterdam, and Stadswerven in Dordrecht. In Amsterdam’s IJburg district, the aesthetic appeal of the water was one of the main reasons for raising the ground level as opposed to the more common practice of building in a deep polder.

Dalmannkai Hamburg Germany © ELBE&FLUT, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH