Z5 value and clarification

The Z5 value in the North Sea Canal is currently 3485 mg/l and has decreased slightly compared to last week. 

The discharge Weesp (Q5) is currently 37.2 m3/s. The water intake system (WIS) is 55. The discharge Lobith (QLobith) is about 1630 m3/s. These three values have decreased slightly from last week.

Expectations
The WIS will continue to operate at maximum capacity to increase water inflow. Little precipitation is expected in the short term. Starting August 21, the walls for the ‘selectieve onttrekking’ will be installed.   

Measures

Because the Z5 value is still near the 3500 mg/l, there is little precipitation forecast and work is coming up, we will continue with optimised lock passages. We will continue to cluster ships and limit empty-running as much as possible. In doing so, we will accept more delays - the starting point is a maximum of two hours - in order to make the passages as efficiently as possible and thereby reduce salt intrusion into the North Sea Canal.

The CNB and the RWS-WNN will have a meeting on Monday 19 August regarding the salt intrusion and how to best monitor the situation. We will be sending the view on salinisation every week, with the next update coming on Friday 23 August.