Frank Spaargaren

Frank Spaargaren (20 December 1940 – 4 October 2020) was a Dutch hydraulic engineer who was one of the main designers of the Oosterscheldekering and served as a director of the Waterloopkundig Laboratorium in Delft.

Graduation and early career After graduating in civil engineering from Delft University of Technology in 1964, he joined the Delta service of Rijkswaterstaat, in the hydraulic department. He supervised experiments at the (Hydraulic Research Laboratory).

Beginning in the early 1970s, Spaargaren became involved in the Delta Works, principally with the works to close the Eastern Scheldt, and in 1971, he took charge of the project as Head of Service Execution.

The Oosterscheldekering

The closure of the Eastern Scheldt was achieved by the construction of the (Eastern Scheldt Storm Surge Barrier), between the islands of Schouwen-Duiveland and Noord-Beveland. At nine kilometres in length, the dam was the largest project of the entire Delta Works. There was no precedent for such a structure anywhere in the world, and therefore no design codes to follow or construction experience from which to draw ideas.

Spaargaren was charged by Rijkswaterstaat with leading the design and delivery of the project from 1976, and an innovative design comprising substantial sluice-gate doors was implemented, being fitted along the final four kilometres of the dam. Ordinarily, these gates remain open, permitting natural tidal movement, but can be securely closed during inclement weather conditions.

The innovative design of the dam, led by Spaargaren and involving other key hydraulic engineers such as Jan Agema, thus ensured the preservation of the saltwater marine ecosystem, enabled continued fishing activity, and provided flood control for the land beyond the dam.

The Oosterscheldekering was successfully completed in 1986 and Beatrix of the Netherlands officially opened the dam on 4 October 1986.

(The flood barrier is closed. The Delta Works are complete. Zeeland is safe). — Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands title=Public address on the occasion of the opening of the Oosterscheldekering, 4 October 1986 — as noted in (Delta-vision: Looking back at 40 years of wet civil engineering in the South-West Netherlands) (1986) Spaargaren published primarily on subjects related to the closure of estuaries and tidal basins, particularly up until 1979 when he left Rijkswaterstaat. Along with other engineers, Spaargaren had expressed opposition to elements of the Dutch Government's Delta Programme Strategy, warning that it was insufficient to cope with the threat of climate change, specifically sea level rise.

He also played an instrumental role in the decision-making process pertaining to reinforcement of the Markermeer dikes. In a 2018 letter to the Dutch House of Representatives, he noted, "The dikes have proven capable of withstanding significantly higher water levels than those currently anticipated. There is a dearth of experienced design and implementation knowledge within the ministry, Rijkswaterstaat, and the water board. Experts in sub-fields and researchers are exerting too much influence on the design process".