NATS 1840 Lecture : Jan 17 notes Dutch Hydraulic Engineering-Medieval Dutch Hydraulic Engineering, sublimation, hydraulic hypothesis, polders, technology fix vs. social fix
16 Oct 2011
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Nats 1840 lecture 3 dutch hydraulic engineering. European rainfall, thick, wet soil, iron shod plough and oxen. Limited land for farming, starvation, disease and warfare. Holland below sea level, hydraulic engineering to create farmland. Reciprocal effect: draining one area led to flooding in another, draining led to lowering of land further below sea level. 13th century: dikes (embankments to hold in water), dams (blocking rivers), sluices (canal with gates), and drainage canals. 1100 and 1300 hundreds of dikes and dams. Polders: units of land at the same water level with shared drainage system, labor and capital intensive. No central co-ordination, taxes and public works local. The water boards were responsible for: regular inspection of facilities, recommending repair, supervising and organizing labour and materials, collecting taxes, dispute resolution.
