Rhine River Case Study

The River Rhine rises in the Swiss Alps about 3,353 meters above sea level and flows north, passing through or bordering Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Australia, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.  The factors that make the Rhine River the “Industrial Heartland” include that it encompassed the major empires, enabled trade and economic growth, linked European countries together and it is the most efficient way to transport people and goods. The physical body of water also enabled industrialization to occur more effectively.

The industrial heartland of North America is the Rust Belt; it is the region straddling the upper Northeastern United States, the Great Lakes, and the Midwest States. It is surrounded by water causing it to be a suitable area for trade and for the growth of the economy.  The Great Lakes and nearby Appalachia were utilized for transportation and natural resources. This enabled thriving coal and steel industries.

There are many impacts that human activity has had on the Rhine River basin. Farmland or buildings have replaced the Rhine’s riverside marsh and floodplain, which was used to hold back floodwater. Improved flood protection measures upstream cause the floodwater to move downstream more quickly than it used to. The river has been involved in a straightening process due to improved navigation for shipping; meaning the distance has been reduced, so this means that water moves downstream more quickly. Urbanization in the Rhine catchment area has also helped flooding due to the fact that the concrete and tarmac send more water to the river than the fields they replaced. The upper Rhine is used for generating hydroelectric power. These are all human causes on the Rhine River.

Reincorporating vegetation into the surrounding areas of the river where meadows and fields used to be would be an aiding solution to the flooding issue of Rhine River. It would act as an infiltration system and absorb excess waters, however it would be difficult to implement by people as times are getting more industrialized and advanced and more natural land is being replaced by buildings instead of the other way around. Reinforcing earth dykes with steel piling with stone blocks to reduce erosion is another solution that could be difficulty implementing as it would be costly, tedious and time consuming enhancing every dyke with steel however it would be worth it in the long run. Limiting residential development in areas where flood risks are likely is another solution to prolonging the longevity of people in this country however the houses in this area are most likely cheaper and more affordable for families that cannot support the expenses of another house therefore stopping people from living in these areas could end up putting people on the streets and killing them anyway. Allowing the river to flow back through marshland areas which had been previously been sealed off for navigation purposes would create a much further journey for the river to flow, lessening the intensity and speed of flooding however it would be inconvenient for travelers and shipping purposes as the journey would be much longer than if the river took a shorter route.