Management of dredged Silt from
Ems-river
Area of Responsibility
Lower Ems Outer Ems
• 40 km navigable river for seagoing ships
(Papenburg to Emden)
• 2-3 Mio. m³ dredging material each year
• Mainly Silt (> 90 %)
• Dredging for new cruise liners and also regular shipping
• Narrow River
• Solution: Disposal on shore
Area Lower Ems
Leer Emden
Papenburg
Disposal on land
• Lake complex Neermoor: 3 former sand pits
• Ihrhove / Steenfelde:
Approx. 1000 ha filling fields on agricultural lands
• High costs for both options
• Northern Part: Ihrhove (completed since 2017)
• Southern Part: Steenfelde (since 2015, until 2025?)
• 1000 ha agricultural land
• At least 60% of dredged
material from Ems (approx.
1,5 Mio. m³)
• Second landfill planned in Ihrhove after completing
Steenfelde (due to significant settlement)
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
Dam Construction
• 2,5 m high
• 10 or 15 m distance to ditches
• Build of top soil from the
surrounding (mostly peat)
• Geotextile at the foundation for structural safety
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
• 2 transfer stations at the river Ems
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
• 2 transfer stations at the river Ems
• 25 km pipelines, lots of valves
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
• 2 transfer stations at the river Ems
• 25 km pipelines, lots of valves
• 1 pumping station to increase the
pressure
• Several pumps to transport excess water back to the river
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
• 2 transfer stations at the river Ems
• 25 km pipelines, lots of valves
• 1 pumping station to increase the
pressure
• Several pumps to transport excess water back to the river
• Several filling fields are used parallel
• Each field is in
operation for approx.
2 years
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
Filling fields Ihrhove/Steenfelde
All filling fields have to be recultivated to pastureland.
1. Draining 2. Mowing
Recultivation
All filling fields have to be recultivated to pastureland.
1. Draining 2. Mowing
3. Slit opening the Dam 4. Trenching the field
Recultivation
All filling fields have to be recultivated to pastureland.
1. Draining 2. Mowing
3. Slit opening the Dam
4. Trenching the field 5. Spreading the
material
6. Deep plowing
Recultivation
All filling fields have to be recultivated to
pastureland.
1. Draining 2. Mowing
3. Slit opening the Dam 4. Trenching the field 5. Spreading the
material
6. Deep plowing 7. Gras sowing 8. Return (after 2
years)
Recultivation
• Area was used as a clay pit for dyke construction in 2013
• Re-filling with dredged material 2013-2017
• Clay-riping since 2017
• Planned: Removal of 100.000 m³ beginning 2021
Clay pit Jarssumer Polder
Lower Ems
Clay pit Jarssumer Polder
Problem: (Partially) high amount of sand Solution: deviding the material
• Green: Deichacht Moormerland (Dyke embankment, fine material)
• Blue: Deichacht Krummhörn (core, sandy material)
• High dredging amounts in river Ems expected in future
• Masterplan Ems: Reduction of dredging amounts, or only relocation?
• More dumping in the future?
• Creation of new filling fields difficult (high challenges for approvals)
• Environmental protection restricts new filling fields
• Second filling in Ihrhove planned
• Rebuilding filling fields in Jarssum
