An information system on environmental conditions for the construction and operation of a storm-surge barrier

In order to safeguard the southwestern part of The Netherlands against flooding, a storm-surge barrier is being constructed at the entrance of the Eastern Scheldt estuary. Both the construction and the operational control of the barrier require an extensive information system on the meteorological and oceanographical conditions. To provide for the requested data, a large number of recording stations is being set up in the estuary, as well as offshore in the North Sea. Information from these recording stations, such as data on tides, waves, currents, salinity, wind, etc., is transmitted towards a central data processing center. Here further processing will take place for control purposes, preparation of predictions on tides, waves, and meteo conditions, as well as for various studies on the water motion in the estuary. The paper also gives a general outline of the specifications and the laboratory and field tests for the various instruments that are considered necessary, in order to cope with the harsh conditions in the Eastern Scheldt