Delta Works

Hello there. I have giant arms that can open wide and close up tight. I stand where the busy rivers meet the big, splashy sea. I am made of big, strong walls and special doors that move. It is a very important job. I live in a beautiful country with lots of windmills and tulips. It is called the Netherlands. People built me to be a super helper for the water. Do you know who I am. I am the Delta Works.

A long, long time ago, something sad happened. On a dark, stormy night on February 1st, 1953, the sea got very big and angry. A giant wave rushed onto the land and got many houses wet. It made all my friends very sad and scared. After the storm, kind and clever people decided to build me. They said, 'We will make a strong friend to protect us.' So they started building me in the year 1954. They worked together, like a big team of builders, for many, many years. It took a long time to make all my parts just right. They finished making me all strong and ready in the year 1997.

Now, my job is to watch the water every single day. I look at the sky and listen to the wind. If a big storm is coming, I close my giant gates with a gentle 'clunk.' This keeps the water out and all the houses safe and dry. When the sun is shining and the weather is nice, I open my arms wide. This lets the happy boats sail by and the little fish swim to and fro. I am like a big, strong hug for the land. I show everyone that when people work together, they can do amazing things to protect their homes and friends.