The first land reclamation efforts in the southwestern Rhine-Meuse delta in the Netherlands date back to the Middle Ages. Since then, the area has experienced multiple storms and extreme weather conditions, amongst which the flood disaster of 1953 which led to the construction of the Delta Works. The construction of dams, locks and storm surge barriers, and the strengthening and raising of dikes in the area, initially increased flood safety. However, over time, the land behind dikes started to sink which is highly problematic in the face of sea-level rise.