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A 'polder' is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The best-known examples are those polders that constitute areas of land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the sea, and are consequently below the surrounding water level. This requires drainage by pumps to prevent the water table within the polder from rising too high. Some can be drained by opening sluices at low tide.
Polders are most commonly found, though not exclusively so, in river deltas, former fenlands and coastal areas.

Contents

Polders and the Netherlands

Examples of polders

Belgium

France

Germany

Great Britain

Italy

The Netherlands

Poland

Canada

External Links

References

See also

Polders and the Netherlands

The Netherlands is frequently associated with polders. This is illustrated by the English saying: 'God created the world except for the Netherlands. The Dutch took it from the sea’''.
The Dutch have a long history of reclamation of marshes and fenland, not only within their country but also abroad. About half of all polder surface within northwest Europe is located within the Netherlands. The first embankments in Europe were constructed in Roman times. The first polders were constructed in the 11th century. From that time on the function of ''dijkgraaf'' (count of the dyke) as chair of the Water board existed in the Netherlands. This functionary was responsible for the maintaining of the integrity of the dykes surrounding the polder. In this function he had a large responsibility over life and death of all inhabitants, and had therefore also large powers to call upon cooperation to maintain levy integrity. The necessary co-operation between all ranks in maintaining polder integrity also gave its name to the Dutch version of third way politics - the Polder Model.

Examples of polders

Belgium

★ De Moeren, near Veurne in West Flanders

France

★ Marais poitevin

★ Les Moëres

Germany

★ Altes Land near Hamburg

★ Blockland & Hollerland near Bremen

★ Nordstrand, Germany

★ Bormer- und Meggerkoog near Friedrichstadt

Great Britain

★ Traeth Mawr

★ Sunk Island (on the north shore of the Humber east of Hull)

★ Parts of The Fens

★ Parts of the coast of Essex

★ Some land along the River Plym in Plymouth

★ Some land around Meathop east of Grange-over-Sands, reclaimed as a side-effect of building a railway embankment

Italy

★ Delta of the river Po such as Bonifica Valle del Mezzano

The Netherlands

★ Alblasserwaard polder contains the famous windmills of Kinderdijk

★ Beemster

★ Haarlemmermeer polder contains Schiphol airport

★ Noordoostpolder

★ Wieringermeer

★ Eastern Flevoland polder contains Lelystad, the capital of the province Flevoland and Lelystad airport

★ Southern Flevoland polder contains the city of Almere
Eastern and Southern Flevoland are also known as Flevopolder

Poland

★ Vistula delta near Elblag and Nowy Dwor Gdanski

Canada

★ Holland Marsh

External Links

★ Polder landscapes in the Netherlands within a northwest European context

References

★ Farjon, J.M.J., J. Dirkx, A. Koomen, J. Vervloet & W. Lammers. 2001. Neder-landschap Internationaal: bouwstenen voor een selectie van gebieden landschapsbehoud. Alterra, Wageningen. Rapport 358.

★ Morten Stenak. 2005. De inddæmmede Landskaber - En historisk geografi. Landbohistorik Selskab.

★ Ven, G.P. van de (red.) 1993. Leefbaar laagland: geschiedenis van waterbeheersing en landaanwinning in Nederland. Matrijs, Utrecht.

★ Wagret, P. 1972. Polderlands. London : Methuen.

See also

★ Afsluitdijk

★ Land reclamation

★ IJsselmeer

★ Zuiderzee Works

★ Windpump