woensdag 1 augustus 2012

Something about water levels

Here you see the canal at the edge of our neighborhood. The water level is about 2.5 m below ground level in this part of the Flevopolder in the Netherlands.

A ship coming from our canal is just going into the lock for going to the lake behind the dike.

Nearly at the right level, the lock keeper asks money for using the lock. He uses a wooden shoe on an fishing rod as is custom for hundreds of years.

After a rise of 5.50 m. you can go to the lake. Give or take it with 40 centimeters difference by heavy rain. That means that if the dike, the lock or the water drainage is somewhere not functioning enough we have a water problem till the first floor. The rest of Almere is built on grounds still lower . In total 25% of the total area of the Netherlands lays under sea level but we are used to it. Our airport Schiphol lays 12 m below sea level and that is one of the lowest in the country.

8 opmerkingen:

  1. One thing I like about blogs is that people like to show off their country to the world. Today I learned some interesting facts about yours.

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  2. The simple fact that so much of The Netherlands is below sea level has always amazed me. Like a centuries old battle between 'man' and 'the sea'. ...and you're still winning!.

    Love the wooden shoe custom. Old customs are what make daily life interesting.

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  3. Erg leuk dat de traditie van gebruik van zo'n klompje aangehouden wordt.

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  4. This is a narrow lock, reminds me of our cruise in the Panama Canal but a lot bigger than.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  5. Wow, that's pretty cool how that works. I like that first shot particularly, reminds me of a Monet or something...

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  6. Amazing to me how much of your country is at or below sea level. Also, very beautiful, and wonderful photography!

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  7. I learned a lot about your country. The shoe custom sounds nice.

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  8. I love the old wooden shoe as a money collector...I'm glad we don't have these 'locks' as I would get claustrophobic having to pass through it.

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