In the book 'Cities on silt' Han Meyer tells the inspiring history of the cities of Venice, Rotterdam and New Orleans in this book. How did they deal with the dynamic nature of the delta and lagoon?

Time and again, attempts were made to counteract the process of silting up in order to enable the economic and urban development of these delta port cities. This has succeeded, but at the expense of ecological qualities. With climate change and ever-higher water levels, it is time for a different approach. Han Meyer outlines the new perspective in which silt actually plays a crucial role in natural delta development. Using its ‘self-building capacity’ restores the buffer effect against high water and salt intrusion.


In the book 'Cities on silt' Han Meyer tells the inspiring history of the cities of Venice, Rotterdam and New Orleans in this book. How did they deal with the dynamic nature of the delta and lagoon?

Time and again, attempts were made to counteract the process of silting up in order to enable the economic and urban development of these delta port cities. This has succeeded, but at the expense of ecological qualities. With climate change and ever-higher water levels, it is time for a different approach. Han Meyer outlines the new perspective in which silt actually plays a crucial role in natural delta development. Using its ‘self-building capacity’ restores the buffer effect against high water and salt intrusion.