The history of flood management in the province of Limburg is distinct from the rest of The Netherlands. In the lower parts, flood protection in the shape of dikes started to be constructed in the 13th century. In the upstream province of Limburg flooding occurred regularly too, but the impact was much less severe and in the absence of dikes, floodplain residents adjusted their homes and livelihoods to the possibility of flooding. Using an emergency law dikes were constructed around residential areas in the floodplain after two major flood events in 1993 and 1995; until then flood protection in Limburg was not on the political agenda (see e.g. first plans to re-naturalise the river ‘Groen voor Grint’). With the shock caused by the 1993 and 1995 floods came a securitizing discourse that transformed the portrayal of flood risks in Limburg to align with the lowland flood management culture. The inclusion of the Meuse and its floodplains into the Dutch Flood Defence Law further guaranteed the end to the ad hoc manner in which Limburg had been dealing with flood management. This could be considered a quid pro quo for getting national financing for enhanced flood protection. While the increased protection is seen as beneficial by most inhabitants, the law also meant strict limitations to development in the floodplain. This is contested in practice if not legally. Ultimately, the rules are enacted through a hydraulic toolkit, which serves as arbiter between local planning ambitions and the national Flood Defence Law.
