Template:This weeks featured article

Risk and coastal zone policy: example from the Netherlands

Risk and probability are widely used in today's policies. It is also possible to adapt probabilistic design in coastal zone management. The risk of flooding poses a threat to present and future socio-economic activities. In this case risk can be defined as the probability of occurrence of an extreme event (storms, tsunamis) leading to erosion and flooding multiplied by the (socio-) economic damage caused by the storm event. The design water level of flood defences along the dutch coast are designed using the probabilistic approach. These levels are related to extreme storm surge water levels with a certain probability of occurrence. The level of the flood defence also on the value in the hinterland. Besides the design level, an probability of failure is taken into account.