Irrigation ban in parts of Noord-Brabant due to extreme drought
Water boards have implemented irrigation bans on meadows and sports fields in parts of Noord-Brabant due to the ongoing drought, the Aa en Maas Water Board told NOS. Last month was the driest March since measurements started in 1906, and parts of the province have had hardly any rain since the end of February.
The lack of rain means that the water level is dropping and the groundwater level is falling below the limit value. Too low water levels can damage quays and banks and be dangerous to aquatic animals and plants. To prevent that from happening, the water boards Aa en Maas, Brabantse Delta, and De Dommel have banned farmers, sports clubs, and golf clubs from using groundwater for irrigation until at least June 1.
“The fact that the water boards have to make this decision shows how much the groundwater in Brabant is affected by the weather,” a spokesperson for the Aa and Maas Water Board said. The last time there was a ban in all three Noord-Brabant water boards was in 2022.
Farmers are still allowed to irrigate using surface water in ditches, streams, and canals. The water board expects that the farmers won’t experience major consequences. “There is still sufficient moisture in the soil, which means that irrigation on grassland is often not necessary yet.”
The water boards will enforce the ban and fine violators if necessary. They expect that low water levels will become a more common problem in the future. “Our future lies in Southern Europe, where water has been scarce for some time. We will have to think about how we are going to distribute the water among ourselves.”
