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In January of 1953, a tidal surge shook the North Sea. The titanic waves flooded the Dutch coastline, killing almost 2,000 people.
在1953年的一月，一场风暴潮震动了北海。巨浪淹没了荷兰的海岸线，将近2000人丧命。
54 years later, a similar storm threatened the region. But this time, the Netherlands were ready.
54年后，一场类似的暴雨又威胁了这片区域。但这次，荷兰做好了准备。
As the water swelled, state-of-the-art computer sensors activated emergency protocols.
当水位涨起来，先进的电脑感应器开启了紧急应对措施。
Over the next 30 minutes, a pair of 240-meter steel arms swung shut, protecting the channel ahead.
在接下的30分钟，一双240米的钢臂合拢了起来，保护着前方的海峡。
Using 680-tonne ball joints, the barrier moved in rhythm with the shifting wind and waves.
利用680吨的球形接头，这道屏障自然的在风浪中运行。
By morning, the storm had passed with minimal flooding.
在早晨，暴雨已过，但并没有发生大规模的洪水。
The first field activation of the Maeslantkering had been a resounding success.
马仕朗大坝的第一次实地运行是一次巨大的成功。
As one of the planet's largest mobile structures, this storm surge barrier is a marvel of human engineering.
作为全球最大的活动建筑之一，这道风暴潮屏障是人类工程上的一个奇迹。
But the Maeslantkering is just one part of a massive, interlocking system of water controls known as the Delta Works
但是马仕朗大坝只是一个被称为“三角洲工程”的庞大、连锁的水控制系统的一部分，
the most sophisticated flood prevention project in the world.
“三角洲工程”是世界上最复杂的防洪工程。
The Netherlands has a long history with water management.
荷兰的水资源管理有着悠久的历史。
The country lies along the delta of three major European rivers, and nearly a quarter of its territory is below sea level.
这个国家位于欧洲三大河流交汇处的三角洲，荷兰近四分之一的领土位于水下。
This geography makes the region extremely prone to flooding.
这样的地形使得荷兰很容易被洪水淹没。
So much so, that some of the earliest Dutch governing bodies were informal "water boards" that coordinated flood protection projects.
鉴于这样的情况，荷兰最早的一些政治团体曾经是组织防洪项目的非正式的“水资源管理委员会”。
But after the storms of 1953, the Dutch government took more official measures.
但在1953年的暴雨之后，荷兰政府采取了更多官方应对措施。
They established the Delta Commission, and tasked them with protecting the entire southwestern region.
他们成立了三角洲委员会，负责帮助整个西南部地区抵御洪水侵害。
Focusing on densely populated cities, their aim was to reduce the annual odds of flooding below 1 in 10,000 -- about 100 times as safe as the average coastal city.
以人口密集的城市为工作重心，他们的目标是把每年洪水发生的几率减少至低于万分之一--相当于一个普通海岸城市安全程度的一百倍。
Accomplishing this lofty goal required various infrastructure projects along the southwestern coast.
为了实现这个巨大的目标，西南沿海地区需要进行各种基础设施建设。
The first line of defense was to dam the region's flood-prone estuaries.
第一道防线，是在该地区易受洪水侵袭的河口筑坝。
These large inlets fed many of the country's rivers into the North Sea, and during storms they allowed flood water to surge inland.
这些大水湾会将荷兰境内的河流引入北海，而在风暴潮发生时，洪水会沿河涌入而淹没大陆。
Using a series of dams, the Delta Commission transformed these estuaries into expansive lakes that serve as nature preserves and community parks.
利用一系列的水坝，三角洲委员会得以将这些河口改造成广阔的湖泊，作为自然保护区和社区公园。
However, this solution wouldn't work for the Nieuwe Waterweg.
然而，这个方法不能用在新水道上。
As the lifeblood of the local shipping industry, this passage had to be kept open in safe conditions, and barricaded during storm surges.
作为当地航运业的命脉，这条水道必须在安全的情况下保持畅通，并在风暴潮期间设置屏障。
In 1998, the completed Maeslantkering provided the flexible protection necessary.
在1998年，完工的马仕朗大坝为海岸提供了必要且可变通的保护。
Alongside additional barriers, like grassy dikes and concrete seawalls,
还有一些额外的屏障，比如长满草的堤坝和混凝土海堤，
these fortifications made up the bulk of the Delta Works project, which was primarily focused on holding back ocean storms.
这些防御措施构成了“三角洲工程”的核心，主要为了阻挡大洋上的暴风。
But in the following decades, the Dutch pursued additional plans to complement the Delta Works and protect against floods further inland.
但在之后的几十年，荷兰人又制定了更多的计划，以补充“三角洲工程”，并防范内陆地区的洪水。
Under the "Room for the River" plan, farms and dikes were relocated away from the shore.
在“河流空间”方案下，农场和堤坝被迁移到了远离海岸的地方。
This left more space for water to collect in low-lying floodplains, creating reservoirs and habitats for local wildlife.
这样就为低洼的洪泛区留出了更多的空间，创造了水库，也为当地的野生动物提供了栖息地。
This strategic retreat not only decreased flood risk, but allowed for the redeveloped settlements to be built more densely and sustainably.
这一战略性撤退方案不仅降低了洪水发生的风险，而且能够让重新开发的定居点更加密集和可持续。
Perhaps no city embodies the Netherlands' multi-pronged approach to water management as much as Rotterdam, a thriving city almost entirely below sea level.
最能体现荷兰多管齐下的水资源管理方式的就是鹿特丹，一座几乎完全位于海平面之下的繁华都市。
When a storm threatens, densely populated older districts are protected by traditional dikes.
当一场暴雨逼近，人口密集的旧区域会被传统的堤坝保护。
Meanwhile, newer districts have been artificially elevated, often sporting green roofs that store rainwater.
与此同时，新城区被人为抬高，并且常常使用绿化屋顶来储存雨水。
Numerous structures around the city transform into water storage facilities, including parking garages and plazas which normally serve as theaters and sports arenas.
城市周围的许多建筑都变成了蓄水设施，比如停车场和广场，这些地方平常被用作剧场和体育场。
Meanwhile in the harbor, floating pavilions rise with the water level.
与此同时，在港口，浮动的亭台建筑会随着水位的上升而上升。
These are the first of several planned amphibious structures, some of which house water purification systems and solar collectors.
这些是早期规划中的水陆两用建筑，其中一些安装了净水系统和太阳能收集器。
These strategies are just some of the technologies and policies that have put the Netherlands at the cutting edge of water management.
这些策略只是让荷兰身处水资源管理前沿的一部分技术和政策。
The country continues to find new ways to make cities more resilient to natural disasters.
荷兰也在不停地发掘新的方法，以提高城市抵御自然灾害的能力。
And as the rising sea levels caused by climate change threaten low-lying cities across the world, the Netherlands offers an exceptional example of how to go with the flow.
随着由气候变化导致的海平面上升威胁到了世界各地低海拔的城市，荷兰则是顺应生态趋势方面的一个典范。
