Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland
Encyclopedia
The Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland is the oldest Water board of the Netherlands, having received its first commission to protect the land from flooding back in 1248 from William II of Holland. It conducts water control activities in the general area known as Rijnland
. The Netherlands has 27 Waterboards or Waterschappen acting independently from the National government administration to manage the continuing Dutch struggle against water
.
The first steps towards a formal method of dike management were taken in the 12th century when the Oude Rijn
river silted shut at Katwijk
. Even though the Lek river had already superseded the Oude Rijn as the most important means of transport and water management
, the area around Leiden suffered dramatically from storm flooding. To combat this problem, the local nobility of Leiden decided to build a dam at Zwadenburg, now called Zwammerdam
. This of course only moved the problem eastwards, towards Utrecht
, where they complained to the German emperor Barbarossa
. In 1165, he decided in favor of Utrecht and the dam was turned into a sluice. Meanwhile, work had already started on digging to increase the efficiency of the small rivers called the "Zyl" and "Does", which would carry the overflow towards the Haarlem Lake and the Kagerplassen
. This ambitious project was the result of 15 neighborhoods working together towards a common goal. By 1255, according to the oldest dated document in the Rijnland archives, there was already a group of officials called heemraden who oversaw the dikes along the IJ
and at Zwammerdam
. Their privileges were described in this document that was given to the dike warden of the area between Wassenaar
, the Zwammerdam, and Spaarndam
. At that time Rijnland was just one of the many water districts within the area. Each district had a bailiff, and it was the bailiff who was put in charge of dike maintenance. The term Dijkgraaf (official) only began to be used around 1400, when the water district borders differed greatly from the borders of the nearby municipalities.
The success of the Zijl and Does river outlets was not enough to avoid heavy floods, and in 1248, a heavy storm again caused a lot of damage, so a dam was built at Spaarndam. This caused a fierce dispute with Haarlem
, since that city was dependant on free access for ships to the IJ. The dispute was solved by building an extra sluice in 1253 for ships that could pass when the water levels on both sides of the sluice were the same. To emphasize that control over the sluices and dikes at Spaarndam were under the jurisdiction of the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland, Count Willem II granted the privileges to levy a toll on ships to the Dike wardens, and not to the city of Haarlem. It is this document from 1255 that is referred to in the painting by Caesar van Everdingen
in 1654. From that point on, the heemraden at Spaarndam were called the heemraden van Rijnland.
This would not be the last time that the city of Haarlem got into an argument with the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland. In 1514 a heavy storm broke the sluices and the dike at Spaarndam. Haarlem was happy to have the free passage of ships and refused to repair the dike. When the Hof van Holland decided in favor of repairs, Haarlem asked to have the dam (and sluices with their tolls) moved closer to the city. This would mean that Haarlem would have the dam on its own property, and they would have more control. The heemraden voted against it, and repairs were ordered. In 1517 the dam was not yet ready and Haarlem sent soldiers to destroy the work underway. Again the Hof van Holland needed to mediate the heated tempers and again the decision was in favor of the Heemraden. Haarlem was allowed its own sluice gate for small ships, the Klein Haarlemmersluis, which kept working until 1897, when a new sluice was built. To manage the finances of building and maintaining the dam and all its sluices, it was decided to split the costs (and toll income) among the water boards downstream. Haarlem paid for its own sluice gate, and the Woerdersluis was paid for by the Water board called the Grootwaterschap Woerden, which also released its water overflow via the Spaarndam sluices.
To meet efficiently, the Hoogheemraadschap bought a meeting hall in 1578, that was also the permanent residence of the Dike warden. The facade was renovated twenty years later in 1598 to keep up with the new town hall. This Gemeenlandshuis
is the first one used by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland, but to meet with the Amsterdam Water Board and inspect the dikes along the Haarlemmertrekvaart
and the sluices at Halfweg, the Gemeenlandshuis Zwanenburg was built by Pieter Post
in 1645-1648. Though nearly demolished today, there is a town named after this building in the Haarlemmermeerpolder called Zwanenburg.
Rijnland
The name Rijnland means "Rhineland" in Dutch. When referring to the Rhine in Germany, "Rijnland" has the same meaning as "Rhineland" in English or "Rheinland" in German...
. The Netherlands has 27 Waterboards or Waterschappen acting independently from the National government administration to manage the continuing Dutch struggle against water
Flood control in the Netherlands
Flood control in the Netherlands is an important issue for the Netherlands as about two thirds of the country is vulnerable to flooding while at the same time the country is among the most densely populated on earth. Natural sand dunes and man made dikes, dams and floodgates provide defense against...
.
History
Oude Rijn
Oude Rijn may refer to:* Oude Rijn - A cut-off section of the river Rhine in the province of Gelderland* Oude Rijn - A Rhine branch in the province of Utrecht and South Holland, from Harmelen to the North Sea....
river silted shut at Katwijk
Katwijk
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:...
. Even though the Lek river had already superseded the Oude Rijn as the most important means of transport and water management
Water management
Water management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. In an ideal world. water management planning has regard to all the competing demands for water and seeks to allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy all uses and demands...
, the area around Leiden suffered dramatically from storm flooding. To combat this problem, the local nobility of Leiden decided to build a dam at Zwadenburg, now called Zwammerdam
Zwammerdam
Zwammerdam is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn, and lies about 6 km southeast of Alphen aan de Rijn.In 2001, the town of Zwammerdam had 1709 inhabitants...
. This of course only moved the problem eastwards, towards Utrecht
Utrecht
Utrecht is a city in the Netherlands.The name may also refer to:* Utrecht , of which Utrecht is the capital* Utrecht , including the city of Utrecht* Bishopric of Utrecht* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht...
, where they complained to the German emperor Barbarossa
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
. In 1165, he decided in favor of Utrecht and the dam was turned into a sluice. Meanwhile, work had already started on digging to increase the efficiency of the small rivers called the "Zyl" and "Does", which would carry the overflow towards the Haarlem Lake and the Kagerplassen
Kagerplassen
The Kagerplassen is a small lake system in South Holland located to the northeast of Leiden. The Kaag Lakes are a popular area for boating, watersports, fishing, camping and walking...
. This ambitious project was the result of 15 neighborhoods working together towards a common goal. By 1255, according to the oldest dated document in the Rijnland archives, there was already a group of officials called heemraden who oversaw the dikes along the IJ
IJ
IJ may refer to:* IJ , the ligature of the letters I and J* IJ , a body of water near Amsterdam, Netherlands* Ij, Iran, a city in Fars Province, Iran* IJmeer, a lake in the Netherlands* immigration judge...
and at Zwammerdam
Zwammerdam
Zwammerdam is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn, and lies about 6 km southeast of Alphen aan de Rijn.In 2001, the town of Zwammerdam had 1709 inhabitants...
. Their privileges were described in this document that was given to the dike warden of the area between Wassenaar
Wassenaar
Wassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
, the Zwammerdam, and Spaarndam
Spaarndam
Spaarndam is a small village in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands, on the Spaarne and IJ rivers. The oldest part of the village, on the western side of the Spaarne, belongs to the municipality of Haarlem; the newer part on the eastern side is a part of the municipality of...
. At that time Rijnland was just one of the many water districts within the area. Each district had a bailiff, and it was the bailiff who was put in charge of dike maintenance. The term Dijkgraaf (official) only began to be used around 1400, when the water district borders differed greatly from the borders of the nearby municipalities.
The success of the Zijl and Does river outlets was not enough to avoid heavy floods, and in 1248, a heavy storm again caused a lot of damage, so a dam was built at Spaarndam. This caused a fierce dispute with Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
, since that city was dependant on free access for ships to the IJ. The dispute was solved by building an extra sluice in 1253 for ships that could pass when the water levels on both sides of the sluice were the same. To emphasize that control over the sluices and dikes at Spaarndam were under the jurisdiction of the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland, Count Willem II granted the privileges to levy a toll on ships to the Dike wardens, and not to the city of Haarlem. It is this document from 1255 that is referred to in the painting by Caesar van Everdingen
Caesar van Everdingen
Cesar Pietersz, or Cesar Boetius van Everdingen , older brother of Allart van Everdingen and Jan van Everdingen, was a Dutch Golden Age portrait and history painter.-Biography:...
in 1654. From that point on, the heemraden at Spaarndam were called the heemraden van Rijnland.
This would not be the last time that the city of Haarlem got into an argument with the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland. In 1514 a heavy storm broke the sluices and the dike at Spaarndam. Haarlem was happy to have the free passage of ships and refused to repair the dike. When the Hof van Holland decided in favor of repairs, Haarlem asked to have the dam (and sluices with their tolls) moved closer to the city. This would mean that Haarlem would have the dam on its own property, and they would have more control. The heemraden voted against it, and repairs were ordered. In 1517 the dam was not yet ready and Haarlem sent soldiers to destroy the work underway. Again the Hof van Holland needed to mediate the heated tempers and again the decision was in favor of the Heemraden. Haarlem was allowed its own sluice gate for small ships, the Klein Haarlemmersluis, which kept working until 1897, when a new sluice was built. To manage the finances of building and maintaining the dam and all its sluices, it was decided to split the costs (and toll income) among the water boards downstream. Haarlem paid for its own sluice gate, and the Woerdersluis was paid for by the Water board called the Grootwaterschap Woerden, which also released its water overflow via the Spaarndam sluices.
Gemeenlandshuis
The management of these complicated funding arrangements led to the formation of a new governing body in addition to the hoogheemraden, and these were the hoofdingelanden. These were large landowners with the Water board district who could oversee and approve the finances of the Water board. For several centuries, the daily work of the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland was run by one Dike warden and seven hoogheemraden, of which two came from Haarlem and five from Leiden. Their responsibilities were traditionally to oversee the dam at Spaarndam and the dikes along the Zijl and the Does.To meet efficiently, the Hoogheemraadschap bought a meeting hall in 1578, that was also the permanent residence of the Dike warden. The facade was renovated twenty years later in 1598 to keep up with the new town hall. This Gemeenlandshuis
Gemeenlandshuis
A Gemeenlandshuis, or Waterschapshuis is a building that is or was formerly used as the headquarters of one of the Waterboards of the Netherlands. The Netherlands has 27 Waterboards or Waterschappen.-History:...
is the first one used by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland, but to meet with the Amsterdam Water Board and inspect the dikes along the Haarlemmertrekvaart
Haarlemmertrekvaart
The Haarlemmertrekvaart is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. It was dug in 1631, making it the oldest tow-canal in Holland...
and the sluices at Halfweg, the Gemeenlandshuis Zwanenburg was built by Pieter Post
Pieter Post
Pieter Jansz Post was a Dutch Golden Age architect, painter and printmaker.-Biography:...
in 1645-1648. Though nearly demolished today, there is a town named after this building in the Haarlemmermeerpolder called Zwanenburg.