Much of the Netherlands is controlled by two major rivers: the Rhine and the Meuse, also known as the Maas. For Maastricht, the Maas River is the center of our town. The Maas River is also used by many cargo ships and barges to transport goods throughout the Netherlands and Belgium.
The communities in the Netherlands have to be prepared for flooding because it can happen very often and can have so many devasting consequences. The "need" in this situation is a way for families to maintain their homes, without risking them because of flooding. Also, the water levels need to be controlled for the sake of individuals who transport goods along the rivers in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has very low elevation, which makes flooding a huge risk. Nearly two-thirds of our small country is at risk of being submerged by water if the sea level rises too high. Because the country is so flat, precautions have to be taken to prevent this from happening.
