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Inland waters warning (The Netherlands)

Last modified: 2017-11-11 by andrew weeks
Keywords: flood | sluice |
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High water alert

[High water alert] image by Jarig Bakker, 9 Apr 2007

In this Dutch page concerning Stompwijk (a village to the South of Leyden) is mentioned a black flag, signalling high water (dangerous in the mostly low-lying Netherlands). The local pumping station ("gemaal") would run up this flag on the mast seen in the background on the first photo.
I have no idea however whether this was general practice, when it was introduced or - as the case may be - abolished.
Jan Mertens, 8 Apr 2007

Sluice

[Sluice] image by Jarig Bakker, 9 Apr 2007

It reminds me of a flag I saw a few weeks ago in my native village at Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen: a dark blue flag with white letters "SPUIEN" (sluice) - that one I saw also in my youth (1950's) signifying that all locks were opened at low tide in order to release superfluous inland water. It was also hoisted along bridges up to Ee (c. 2 kms further inland) to warn shippers.
Jarig Bakker, 9 Apr 2007