The Sand Motor Results Presented

After five years of monitoring, the interim results for the Sand Motor pilot project are now available.

The results were presented at an international conference ‘The Sand Motor, 5 years of Building with Nature’ in the Kurhaus in Scheveningen.

The Sand Motor, run by Rijkswaterstaat, the provincial authority of South Holland, research institutes and the private sector – provides natural coastal maintenance, creating at the same time space where recreation and nature can thrive.

Wind, waves, tides and sea currents will gradually spread the sand from this man-made peninsula, predominantly northwards along the Delfland coast between Ter Heijde and Kijkduin.

In 2012, 2 million cubic meters of sand started moving: 500,000 cubic meters spread along dunes and on the deep seabed (outside monitored area); 600,000 cubic meters on the Sand Motor itself; 900,000 cubic meters spread in the monitored area.

The monitoring of the Sand Motor will continue through to 2021 with Rijkswaterstaat leading the effort. In 2021, there will be a solid scientific evaluation of the Sand Motor concept because the contractors will then have a firmer understanding of how the Sand Motor works.