Polders

Polders are areas of land reclaimed from water, typically from seas or lakes, through the construction of dikes and drainage systems. These structures prevent water from flooding the land, allowing it to be drained and made suitable for agriculture, settlement, or other uses. Polders are common in the Netherlands, where much of the land lies below sea level. Maintaining a polder involves regular management of water levels via pumps and sluices to prevent flooding and keep the land dry. Essentially, polders are controlled, human-engineered landscapes that transform water-logged areas into usable land.