Storm surge duration and storm duration at Hoek van Holland

The aim of this study is to test the assumption of 29 hours for storm surge duration and storm duration in the Rhine-Meuse estuary against measurements at Hoek van Holland. A major precondition of the study is that Hydra-B will not be significantly modified during the process of defining the boundary conditions for 2011. The study therefore aims to derive a storm surge duration and storm duration that can be used for the current Hydra-B version. This implies that the duration was determined for a representative storm with a single peak, the length of which is independent of the peak value. Changes to this concept, such as more complex time graphs (double peaks) and interdependence of peak value and duration, have been explored, but only with a view to possible future modifications to Hydra-B. It is important to realise that design water levels at the river side of the Maeslantkering are mainly determined by the length of time the barrier is closed. The influence of double storms on this period is limited because, as a rule, it is possible to discharge between two storms.