Sand Motor
The Sand Motor is a fascinating man-made peninsula located on the Delfland coast near Ter Heijde in South Holland. It has been designed to protect the Dutch coast in a natural and sustainable manner. The development of the Sand Motor is being tracked under a monitoring and evaluation programme.
The Sand Motor is a new, natural method of coastal protection involving the deposit of a huge volume of sand in a single operation – over 21 million cubic metres of sand to be exact. The wind, the waves and the current subsequently ensure that the sand is distributed along the Delfland coastline. The newly created beach and dunes protect the Netherlands in the long term against the rising sea level while creating additional space for the natural environment and recreational activities.
Data and reports
The Sand Motor is a pilot project. Scientists are therefore closely monitoring its development. A major knowledge development project was initiated for this purpose, involving collaboration between the government, the business sector and knowledge institutes. Rijkswaterstaat is in charge of the programme and works together with the Province of South Holland and Ecoshape. Furthermore, various universities are collaborating in the NatureCoast knowledge programme.