Part 5/12:

Historically, windmills played a pivotal role in the early mechanical reclamation of wetlands, redirecting excess water to maintain dike integrity. However, as the population and economic activities grew, so did the complexity of water management. The catastrophic floods of 1916 prompted national discussions that culminated in the ambitious Zuiderzee Works, which transformed the flood-prone Zuiderzee bay into the freshwater IJsselmeer lake through the construction of the Afsluitdijk dam.