Room for the River Regge, Netherlands - restoring the river dynamics

The Regge, a lowland river in Overijssel (Netherlands), was progressively straightened and canalised from 1848 onwards and was almost completely channelised by 1935, shortening its course from roughly 70 km to 50 km and eliminating the natural flow dynamics that had buffered both floods and droughts. In response to recurring flooding and dry-season water shortages, the Water Board Regge en Dinkel (now Vechtstromen), together with the Province of Overijssel, municipalities, landowners and interest groups, launched the 'Reggevisie' re-naturalisation programme in 1998 to restore river dynamics, buffer storage, nature development and recreational value along the river.

The programme aims to moderate downstream flood peaks, restore natural stream processes such as meandering and variable flow, combat drought by holding more water in the landscape and reconnecting old side-streams for irrigation and drinking-water supply, and improve water quality through natural filtering and habitat development — all framed to remain effective under projected climate change.

Measures include re-opening and widening old meanders, building a parallel flood canal along the lower and middle Regge that only carries water during high flows (reducing and delaying flood peaks), widening the river's flow profile by about 20% to raise groundwater levels in dry periods, and reconnecting the floodplain. The programme, still ongoing in some middle and lower Regge sections, is expected to be completed by 2025.

The various Reggevisie projects have been estimated to cost around €25 million in total. Since completion of the flood canal, increased water levels have not caused flooding on the Regge, and the Water Board reports strong ecological development, including of macro-fauna populations, greater than initially anticipated. The programme has also created an ecological corridor connecting natural areas, supported more viable agriculture in the valley, and boosted recreation and tourism in the municipalities along the river.

Climate-ADAPT attributes the programme's progress to the Water Board's sustained commitment to integrated water management, formal adoption of the Reggevisie vision, support from EU and national legislation (the Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000), the multi-purpose design of individual projects, and strong local community backing. Private landownership was a recurring obstacle, occasionally requiring expropriation to proceed.