Senator Landrieu Leads Delegation to Netherlands to Learn How Dutch "Live With Water"

By Courtney Taylor, Environmental Defense Fund

Senator Mary Landrieu led a delegation of representatives from various federal agencies, local governments, businesses and non-profits on a trip across the Netherlands from Nov. 9-13 to study how the Dutch “live with water.”  The delegation included representatives from the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Walton Family Foundation.

Each day included meetings with high-level Dutch officials and informative tours and presentations.  The delegation visited the oldest water board in the Netherlands, the newly-created Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management; Deltares, and the site of the 1953 flood in Zeeland.  

The delegation also learned about the Dutch approach to protection and resiliency for the next 100 years, the Room for the River program, Rotterdam’s water and climate plan, and “building with nature.”  In between these valuable sessions, the delegation members connected about their work in the Mississippi River Delta over bus rides, meals, coffee and pound cake breaks.

“It was an amazing learning experience and a great opportunity to get to know other people who care passionately about coastal Louisiana,” said NWF’s Coastal Louisiana Restoration National Campaign Director Karla Raettig.

Please check out the next issue of Delta Dispatches to learn more about some specific lessons learned from members of the delegation.