Twentekanaal closures threaten to become much more frequent, with no solution in sight

The Twentekanaal was completely closed to shipping for the first time this summer, but it will likely not be the last. Extremely low water levels caused the closure. Calculations known to Rijkswaterstaat for at least two years show this could happen every two years by around 2050. Water boards, provinces, and Rijkswaterstaat have internally called the situation "not robust" and undesirable for years. The renovation of a large pumping station near Zutphen was supposed to solve the problems, but the project has largely failed.