The Netherlands’ mastery of water management stands as one of the greatest feats of civil engineering in the modern world. With much of the country situated below sea level, the Dutch have long faced the daunting challenge of holding back the sea—a task they’ve turned into a source of national pride and global admiration. At the heart of this effort is the Delta Works, an expansive and integrated system of dams, dikes, sluices, and storm surge barriers designed to protect the nation from catastr