The Tides They Are A-Changing (UMAP)

The Netherlands is a very flat country: there are no hills in the western part at all, except for a row of dunes that protect the land against the sea. These sand dunes are mostly 30 to 60 feet high and at places even lower. A large part of the Netherlands (around 40% of the total area) is actually below sea level-fortunately for the Dutch, not too much below: just about 5 to 10 feet or so. But that is quite a bit when the country is overrun by stormy floods, as in 1953. The Netherlands is not alone in being continuously threatened by the sea: Other low countries include Belgium, parts of Germany, and Denmark; farther away, Bangladesh is an infamous example.

Table of Contents:

LOW LANDS

THE FLOODINGS OF FEBRUARY 1990

HIGH TIDES

THE REAL DATA

BACK TO SCHOOL: A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL MODEL

THE GRAPHS FOR FLUSHING AND OUDE SCHILD

STORMY MONDAY

HARBORS AND SHIPS

A DIFFERENT PICTURE

IT'S SPRING TIDE

TIDAL CRAB RHYTHMS

THE TIDES ARE CHANGING