Executing the value driven maintenance of floodplanes

Realized in The Netherlands

Rebel and Van Oord have been collaborating with Rijkswaterstaat since June 2022 to enhance flood protection and manage natural areas in the floodplains of the Nederrijn, Lek, Waal, and Merwede rivers. This initiative operates under the contract named Value-Driven Maintenance Floodplains (abbreviated as WOCU).

The challenge

The project presents unique challenges due to the size and diversity of the area, as well as the innovative approach to collaboration.

A Large and Dynamic Undertaking

We are responsible for maintaining 133 distinct floodplains, each with its own set of stakeholders and a wide variety of assets, including gullies, vegetation, and civil structures.

A New Way of Working Together

The project uses an integrated team approach. Rijkswaterstaat sought to move beyond the traditional client-contractor relationship, opting instead for a partnership based on equality. To achieve this, Rijkswaterstaat is directly involved in the project team, enabling well-informed decisions that consider all interests comprehensively.
Our focus is on delivering value, emphasizing flood safety, ecological conservation, and ensuring maintenance is both predictable and sustainable.

Rebel played a key role in securing the tender, working alongside Van Oord as part of the tender team. Our contributions included managing the tender process, developing a winning strategy, and documenting it in the BPKV plans.

Since the project entered the execution phase, we have continued to support its success in several important ways:

Fostering a Collaborative Team Culture: We actively work to strengthen the project team’s culture, emphasizing collaboration based on shared values. Drawing from our experience on both the public and private sides, we have a clear understanding of the interests of all parties. This allows us to facilitate constructive discussions within the team.
Asset Management: We assist in identifying assets, assessing their condition, and preparing well-supported maintenance proposals for Rijkswaterstaat (RWS). These proposals are grounded in performance, risk, and cost analyses. RWS uses this input to make informed decisions on the maintenance work to be carried out.

Nature Management: Nature is a central focus of this project. We identify specific nature goals, outline how to achieve them, and explore ways to optimize management practices to meet these objectives effectively.
Sustainability: We are developing and implementing strategies to make maintenance activities more sustainable. Additionally, we actively support initiatives like the litter clean-up day to promote environmental care.
Project Management: We provide structure by organizing and streamlining processes and systems, ensuring efficient project execution.
Innovation: We drive and accelerate innovations, such as digitalizing inspection methods to enhance efficiency. One notable innovation involves repurposing grasses from the floodplains as insulation material.

Impact

With our innovative collaboration and experience in nature development, sustainability and asset management, we contribute to safety, natural value and sustainability in the floodplains.

Adding biodiversity

‘Floodplains are unique areas: essential for flood safety and at the same time fine places for people and animals. As executors, we make the area more functional and biodiverse, which is really cool.’

Lianne van Ruijven