Harbor embankment

Once every 12 years, all dikes in the Netherlands are assessed for water safety. The Havendijk, bordering the Nieuwe Diep in Den Helder, was assessed in 2021. The dike is not safe enough in a number of places. 

In 2023, we (as the dike administrator) began determining what is needed to design the dike in such a way that it once again meets the standards and is safe enough. We call this the reinforcement task. Since this is a primary flood defense (the dike protects residents from seawater), the project has been included in the national High Water Protection Program (HWBP).

This does not concern developments surrounding the Dijkkwartier, which is a separate project in which we, as a water board, are involved from a water safety perspective.

Public review of the draft project decision

From February 18 through March 31, 2026, the draft project decision was available for public review in the Waterschapsblad (2026, 3868), via the “Regels op de kaart” section on the Omgevingsloket website, and in person at our office in Heerhugowaard.

Anyone who submitted comments during that period will receive a confirmation and will be informed at a later date of the response to those comments and the final decisions.

Once the final project decision has been adopted, it will be possible to file an appeal with the Administrative Law Division of the Council of State. Anyone who has submitted comments will be notified of this.

Preview of implementation

In the meantime, preparations for the dike reinforcement are continuing. Work is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2027 and will take approximately two years to complete.

Concurrence with other proceedings

Around the same time, the Scope and Level of Detail Memorandum (NRD) for the environmental impact assessment of the Den Helder Maritime Cluster was also available for public review. This procedure is separate from the project decision regarding the reinforcement of the Havendijk.

Harbor embankment along Het Nieuwe Diep

The 2. kilometre Havendijk along the Nieuwe Diep in Den Helder (a primary flood defense) protects 1.2 million North Holland residents from high water from the Wadden Sea. The latest round of testing in 2021 and additional calculations made in 2023 have shown that part of the dike (655 m) no longer meets the legal standard set for water safety. This concerns a section spread across the Havendijk between the Paleiskade and the Koopvaardersschutsluis.

The image below shows the locations of the dike reinforcement where a task is required. No rights can be derived from this drawing.

What's going on?

The dike no longer meets water safety standards in a number of places due to several technical defects, also known as 'failure mechanisms'. This applies to the former 'pilotage building' (Visafslag subarea) and at Het Nieuwe Diep and Het Nieuwe Werk.

In a number of places, the dike no longer meets the requirements for inward and outward stability. A dike is not watertight. If the dike becomes saturated with water on the inside, the dike body can become unstable and slide. In addition, the revetment is no longer adequate in some places along the dike. The (street) stones can become loose and be washed away by waves.

What are we going to do?

Dike reinforcement projects are divided into three phases: exploration, plan development, and implementation. The exploration phase took place in 2023 and 2024. During this phase, various alternatives were devised and developed to make the dike safe again. From these alternatives, the preferred alternative (VKA) was selected at the end of 2024. This VKA is the most suitable solution to bring the dike back into compliance. A VKA was developed for each sub-area of the Havendijk. The exploratory phase was completed in early 2025 with the adoption of the VKA by the HNK board.

For the fish auction, a sealing layer is being applied to make the outer side of the dike more watertight.

For Het Nieuwe Diep, outward stability will be improved by replacing the quay structure, combined with a widening of the quay area, where the existing clinkers will be replaced by heavier paving so that it is more resistant to waves.

At Het Nieuwe Werk, the existing pavers on the entrance and exit ramps will also be replaced with a heavier covering.

The project is currently in the plan development phase. In this phase, the VKA is being developed in detail into a technical design. In order to do this properly, detailed information about the area is required. That is why various studies are being carried out. For example, research into protected animals and plants, the presence of archaeology unexploded ordnance, and the composition of the subsoil. The planning phase will be concluded with the project decision and the most important permits required to make this project possible. The project decision describes what the project will look like and provides insight into the measures and facilities in the physical living environment that are needed to realize the project.

Would you like to know more about what is involved in dyke reinforcement? Then take a digital look through the bookDykes for Beginners.

Widening of the Nieuwe Diep quay

In 2024, Arnold Langeveld (HHNK), Fotigui Camara (Den Helder municipality), and Kees Turnhout (Port of Den Helder) signed the cooperation agreement 'Verbreding Kade Het Nieuwe Diep' (Widening of the Het Nieuwe Diep Quay). Thanks to the water board's dike reinforcement, the dike now meets the required water safety standards. In addition, we also want to contribute to the future developments of the port of Den Helder. This will be done by taking into account a wider quay, the future deepening of the channel, and a good connection to Het Nieuwe Werk in the design of the dike. Clear agreements have been made in the cooperation agreement regarding the implementation and distribution of the costs of this work.

Planning

The exploratory phase will be completed in early 2025 with a finalized VKA. The plan development phase will then commence, during which the VKA will be worked out in detail and the necessary permits will be applied for. Construction is expected to start in the second quarter of 2027 and will take approximately two years to complete.

The schedule (draft) is subject to change. No rights can be derived from the schedule.

Who do we work with?

We collaborate with many different parties, including residents and businesses along and on the dike, the municipality of Den Helder, Rijkswaterstaat, the province of North Holland, the Maritime Cluster, the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Ministry of Defense, and the Port of Den Helder.

Questions and contact

First, check out the answers to the frequently asked questions.

If you have any further questions, please contact us via ourcontact formor call our general number: 072-582 8282 and ask for the environmental manager Stefan van den Helder.

Newsletter

Would you like to stay informed? Then sign up for our digital newsletter. We will keep you informed of developments several times a year. You can sign up by sending an email to: havendijk@hhnk.nl, stating 'newsletter' in the subject line.