Delta ENIGMA

Scientific scope

“Our enigma is how to keep the Dutch delta alive under climate change” 

Deltas are at risk because of human developments and climate change. How do we keep the Dutch delta alive with nature-based solutions? Delta ENIGMA will provide the necessary data and tools to contribute to securing the future livability of the Netherlands.  

Waves, tides, currents and biological processes build deltas. Delta ENIGMA will establish  

  • Infrastructure for long-term measurements of these physical and biological processes. We will also invest in upgrading and building new laboratory facilities where we can test and explore these processes under very controlled conditions.  
  • A science policy interaction centre where we can discuss, together with stakeholders and society, the impact of measures that are needed to secure the future of our delta. 
Delta ENIGMA’s major objectives

Delta ENIGMA will turn the Dutch Delta into a world-leading ‘supersite’ for research on delta biogeomorphology under climate change. This will be achieved by realizing a delta-scale distributed observation and research facility focusing on four major objectives: 

  1. Unravelling the biogeomorphologic processes that build deltas, in an integrated perspective on the coupled river-estuary-coast system 
  1. Moving biogeomorphology of deltas into the era of big-data as a crucial step towards developing a new generation of predictive models 
  1. Quantifying the importance of extreme events in the biogeomorphologic shaping of deltas under climate change 
  1. Providing the basis for improved management of deltas worldwide, including the application of nature-based solutions that need to be rooted in deep system understanding