Mitigating the impact of drought with a water basin

Water basins are the future of sustainable farming; they ensure water security in drier periods

Anyone who could, enjoyed the sunny weather in March, April and May. The downside of this beautiful spring is the growing drought; it was the driest March since records began in 1906. There has been barely any rain in the past three months, and even though some rain is on the way, it will not be enough to end the drought. Dutch news headlines talk about wildfires and threats to nature, horticulture and agriculture as groundwater levels drop.

For (fruit) farmers, the drought means a year full of uncertainty as fields and orchards dry out from the sun and wind. It causes stress to plants and stress for farmers. Now that the fruits and crops start to grow, water is running low, leading to a risk of lower yields and higher costs. In some areas, salty water also increases the risk of damage to fruits and vegetables.

Not all farmers and gardeners are nervous, though. They have a weapon in this battle: an excavated water basin.

A water basin is an artificially created water reservoir, partially dug into the ground. The excavated soil is used to create embankments. NPI lines the basin with high-quality film, making it fully waterproof and helping maintain the water level.

There is growing attention on water buffering, and rightly so. A water basin can be used to store water during wet periods and use it during dry periods. Water that is collected by the basin itself, or water from rooftops or paved surfaces can be stored in the basin. Over the past 65 years, NPI has lined hundreds of basins, many of them for drought protection. The water is used for irrigation in horticulture, fruit cultivation, agriculture, public green spaces, recreation or other purposes.

For small businesses, using tap water can be an option, but for larger companies the capacity is often insufficient. During droughts, there is typically a peak in demand for tap water in general, and extra demand from horticulture and agriculture is not desired. In some areas, restrictions or bans on using surface water for irrigation are in place, limiting farmers’ options even further. Water basins are ideal for farmers who need to store large volumes of water. They reduce pressure on the local drinking water supply, keep businesses running and make farmers less dependent on the availability and quality of incoming water, offering them peace of mind during dry periods.

NPI lines basins with a film that best suits the local conditions. In many cases, this is our high-quality ENPEX FPP. Besides excellent resistance to UV and weathering, ENPEX FPP combines great mechanical properties with a wide range of chemical resistance. It is chemically inert, very flexible and has excellent dimensional stability across a wide temperature range. We produce basin linings up to 5,000 m² in our production facility. For larger basins, the film we supply the film in multiple panels and weld them together on-site. The film is installed over the entire embankment and buried at ground level.

Waterproof connections are installed on the pipings, made from the same type of film used to line the basin. The inlets and outlets are welded onto the basin film at the correct locations on-site.

All the water basins we install are protected with heavy-duty geotextile featuring a tile edge. This protects the film above the waterline from weather, animals and weeds. The slope protection is buried at ground level, and tiles are placed in the seam to keep the geotextile in place. We produce the geotextile at our facility so that only the corners need to be sewed on-site.

NPI works closely with partners who handle permits, soil research, excavation of the basins and any necessary maintenance.

Water basins also serve as a weapon in the fight against salinisation, which occurs in many areas worldwide, especially in dry and coastal regions. In recent years, we have lined several basins in areas where salinisation is a problem and causes water shortages in agriculture. By collecting rainwater in a basin, farmers have a supply of clean, fresh water that they can use for irrigation. This also helps to keep the soil healthier and prevents further salinisation.

To effectively deal with drought, thinking ahead is essential. This means we should not just respond to the current situation but also plan proactively and take measures to reduce the impact of future drought periods.

With united effort, 15,000 m2 of ENPEX FPP is pulled into this basin in Zeeland