Losser - a follow up

Yesterday I thought I might visit the Dinkel again and see how much the water had lowered, expecting it to be gone.

It was a calm, sunny evening. As I rode through the fields on my bike, an acorn fell from a tree and made a loud splash. I noticed the Dinkel area has attracted over 600 new birds - all gulls. The water is still there, and it stinks. An early warning of contaminants in the water, which will pollute the soil. Although the water results in beautiful reflective pools and provides opportunities for new species, the downsides are already evident.

It could be far worse. We are lucky to live in a country where there is usually only minor property damage, which can be reimbursed by insurance. Moreover the Netherlands has decades of experience in treating contaminated soil.
During these floods nobody died. But does go to show that even a small river with an average 4m width can uproot daily existence, and it might be a good time to start thinking about flood preparedness...