A 21st Century Projection of Sediment Management Strategies as Nature-Based Solutions in the Ems Estuary

Richard Marijnissen; Reinier Schrijvershof; Roy van Weerdenburg; Bas van Maren

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-15477-4_83

A 21^st Century Projection of Sediment Management Strategies as Nature-Based Solutions in the Ems Estuary

Richard Marijnissen^*
, Reinier Schrijvershof
, Roy van Weerdenburg
, Bas van Maren

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The Ems estuary faces rising turbidity and increased flood risk due to sea-level rise. We investigated three Nature-based Solutions (NbS) through hydro-morphological modeling to address these issues by 2100: converting a polder to wetland, facilitating salt marsh growth with brushwood groynes, and re-using dredged sediment. Without NbS, turbidity is projected to increase, especially with sea-level rise. Reconnecting a polder can help reduce turbidity in the Dollard while expanding facilitating new wetland, but may not fully counteract the increased sediment import projected with sea-level rise. Extracting mud from the Delfzijl harbour is the most effective measure in reducing turbidity, while marsh expansion with brushwood groynes does not significantly affect turbidity. Nevertheless, groynes facilitate both marsh expansion as well as significant local flood risk reduction.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Coastal Research Library
Editors	C. Coelho, C. Hallin, F. Sancho, P.A. Silva
Publisher	Springer
Pages	548-555
Number of pages	8
ISBN (Electronic)	9783032154774
ISBN (Print)	9783032154767
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-15477-4_83
Publication status	Published - 17 Mar 2026

Publication series

Name	Coastal Research Library
Volume	42
ISSN (Print)	2211-0577
ISSN (Electronic)	2211-0585

Keywords

Flood risk
Nature-based solutions
Sea-level rise
Sediment management
Turbidity

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-15477-4_83Licence: CC BY

https://edepot.wur.nl/714319Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Marijnissen, R., Schrijvershof, R., van Weerdenburg, R., & van Maren, B. (2026). A 21^st Century Projection of Sediment Management Strategies as Nature-Based Solutions in the Ems Estuary. In C. Coelho, C. Hallin, F. Sancho, & P. A. Silva (Eds.), Coastal Research Library (pp. 548-555). (Coastal Research Library; Vol. 42). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-15477-4_83

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A 21^st Century Projection of Sediment Management Strategies as Nature-Based Solutions in the Ems Estuary. / Marijnissen, Richard; Schrijvershof, Reinier; van Weerdenburg, Roy et al.
Coastal Research Library. ed. / C. Coelho; C. Hallin; F. Sancho; P.A. Silva. Springer, 2026. p. 548-555 (Coastal Research Library; Vol. 42).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

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