Earlier Delta Works?

In OTL, the Delta Works were constructed from 1958 to 1997 at a cost of roughly $7 billion at 1997 valuation.

When one compares this to the construction of the Afsluitdijk (just the dam/dike itself, not the polders), one notes that the Delta Works took much longer to complete and were much more expensive.

It would seem to me that the higher costs and longer construction times arose from the greater technical complexity of the Delta Works (high-tech storm barriers, whereas the Afsluitdijk was “just” a dam with a highway paved over it), which itself arose from the need to preserve the saltwater ecosystem in the area of construction.

If that consideration is thrown out the window, is it possible to protect the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta solely with a series of dams (“dikes”) similar to that which was built to enclose the then-Zuiderzee, with project costs and completion time similar to that of the Afsluitdijk?
 
The type of project a way different than that of the afsluitdijk. A lot of dams were first build, closing off 2 major bays. A lot of areas were protected from the weather this way and there simply was doubt whether or not more should be built. The Oosterschelde is a 8KM wide area and most of it was dammed off.

For Amsterdam the Northsea canal was dug(if i look out my window i look upon it) so the traffic towards the city was diverted and thus a simply dam was sufficient to protect Amsterdam from the weather. As for sealife the IJsselmeer is a very large area and ever since it turned into a fresh water lake(1939) fish and crusteacans can easily survive and prosper. No canals could be dug to divert traffic in Zeeland though, hence why the Westerschelde doesn't have any dam or barrier or else Antwerp would be cut off. Canals open up trafic to Rotterdam, all in between is a much smaller scale economic worth, but still worthy.

Also true for the IJsselmeer is that it gave opportunities to create new land(a lot of it) since there is no tide, something that is not feasible in the Zeeland delta.

Biggest problem was the effect a dam would have on the delta, its state concerning sealife, which is of high economic importance. Its too small to turn into a fresh water lake and have the same level of animal life present for economic purposes(plus the tides atrract water activity tourism). Of course the costs would have been greatly reduced, but the place would have been a cesspool by now and no person would live there, and no animal either. It would cost The Netherlands more than it would bring up. They could have as easily relocated everyone living in the danger zone of storms.

i think closing off the entire delta could have had severe geological impact as well. But that only just came into my head, might not be so.
 
The type of project a way different than that of the afsluitdijk. A lot of dams were first build, closing off 2 major bays. A lot of areas were protected from the weather this way and there simply was doubt whether or not more should be built. The Oosterschelde is a 8KM wide area and most of it was dammed off.

For Amsterdam the Northsea canal was dug(if i look out my window i look upon it) so the traffic towards the city was diverted and thus a simply dam was sufficient to protect Amsterdam from the weather. As for sealife the IJsselmeer is a very large area and ever since it turned into a fresh water lake(1939) fish and crusteacans can easily survive and prosper. No canals could be dug to divert traffic in Zeeland though, hence why the Westerschelde doesn't have any dam or barrier or else Antwerp would be cut off. Canals open up trafic to Rotterdam, all in between is a much smaller scale economic worth, but still worthy.

Also true for the IJsselmeer is that it gave opportunities to create new land(a lot of it) since there is no tide, something that is not feasible in the Zeeland delta.

Biggest problem was the effect a dam would have on the delta, its state concerning sealife, which is of high economic importance. Its too small to turn into a fresh water lake and have the same level of animal life present for economic purposes(plus the tides atrract water activity tourism). Of course the costs would have been greatly reduced, but the place would have been a cesspool by now and no person would live there, and no animal either. It would cost The Netherlands more than it would bring up. They could have as easily relocated everyone living in the danger zone of storms.

i think closing off the entire delta could have had severe geological impact as well. But that only just came into my head, might not be so.
So it’s not really advisable or even possible to close off the entire Delta Lely-style — understood.

Now, is it possible to begin construction on the Delta Works earlier than IOTL (40s, 30s, even 20s?), or is the technology not available at the time?
 
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