Geography · KS3 Y9 · Rivers & Coasts

Defending the coastline

Defending the coastlineFree5:17Heddy Score 3 of 7, below the standard

What you need to know

  • After the 1953 North Sea storm surge killed almost 2,000 people, the Netherlands set out to cut its flood risk to below 1 in 10,000 a year.
  • The Delta Works dammed flood-prone estuaries and added dykes, sea walls and movable storm surge barriers such as the Maeslantkering.
  • A movable barrier keeps a busy shipping channel open in normal weather but closes during a surge.
  • The 'Room for the River' plan moved farms and dykes back so floodplains can store water, a form of managed retreat.
  • Rotterdam combines dykes, raised districts, green roofs, water plazas and floating buildings to live with water.

In this clip

Runs 5:17, from 0:07 to 5:24 of the full video.

Also coversManaging flood risk
Heddy Score3/7, Below the standard
See the seven stars
  • Trusted source · passed. The creator's own upload, live and playable here.
  • On the map · not judged yet. A teacher watched it: it mainly teaches this map topic.
  • Spec-true · not judged yet. Accurate, and right for the current UK specification.
  • Focused · passed. One idea, short enough to watch in one go.
  • Accessible · passed. Good captions, clear sound and pictures.
  • Safe for children · not judged yet. Right for 11 to 16 year olds, with no sales pitch.
  • Proven · not judged yet. Earned from our students: they learn from it, find it helpful and watch it to the end.
★ passed · ☆ pending · ✕ failed
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Our own students' answers. These are what move ★7 Proven.
On YouTube

3.72M views · 99.6K likes · TED-Ed 23M subscribers

As reported by YouTube on 2026-11-02. Not part of the Heddy Score.
How the Heddy Score works

Why we picked it

A clear, well-animated case study of how a low-lying country chooses and combines coastal and river defences.

TED-Ed on YouTubechecked 2026-10-22

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