Three stages in the history of land reclamation in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has faced unique water management challenges. Much of the western part of this country is covered by compressible peat or clay soils. Historic land use practices resulted in loss, decay, and consolidation of these soils and subsequent land subsidence. This, along with the sea level rise, tides, and storms, resulted in a country where one‐third of the land lies below mean sea level and without dunes, dikes, and pumps, 65% would be under water at high tide.