Guidance Freshwater dynamics

Index section Freshwater dynamics

• Dynamic ecotopes in the river region
• The common spadefoot toad in the river region
• Pioneer plants in the river region
• Mosquito larvae in backwaters along the Waal

Introduction

In their natural state, rivers have room to flood and this creates landscape elements such as backwaters, floodplains and swamp woodland. But in the Netherlands, the rivers have for centuries been restrained by the building of dikes, dams, weirs, locks and sluices. As a result, the area of characteristic landscape elements has been drastically reduced. The decline of these elements reduces the habitat for certain species such as the common spadefoot toad. Furthermore, the intensive use of the grasslands alongside the river, coupled with the reinforcing of the dikes, has caused plants of the floodplain to decline.

One of the major aims of water policy and water management in the Netherlands is to give the rivers more room. This will increase the area of backwaters, swamps and swamp woodland. Proactive habitat creation projects in the river region are already producing an increase in dynamic landscape units and their associated species, such as corncrake, small fleabane and Chironomidae.