Johannis de Rijke

Johannis de Rijke ( born December 5, 1842 in Colijnsplaar, Noord- Beveland, Netherlands, † January 20, 1913 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch hydraulic engineer and a foreign specialist for the Government of Japan of the Meiji period.

Early life

Rijke was born in the district Colijnsplaar of North Beveland. He was the third of seven children of farmers and casual dike worker Pieter de Rijke and his wife Anna Catharina delivery Broer. He joined the Dutch Ministry of the Interior, where he studied mathematics, earth and water under Jacobus Lebret.

Career

1865 Rijke worked for Cornelis Johannes van Doorn in the construction of the Oranje locks that separated the IJ of the Zuiderzee in Schellingwoude near Amsterdam. Rijke was about the construction foreman. As van Doorn was invited to Japan in 1872, he asked Rijke to join him to design the new port of Osaka.

Japan

Rijke and van Doorn, together with George Arnold Escher (the father of the graphic artist MC Escher), Japan reached in September 1873. During the next thirty years, these three civil engineers developed a large number of flood protection and water management projects. Rijkes first project was the hill erosion protection on the upper reaches of the Yodo. He drew up plans to improve the Yodo, Shōnai, Yoshino and Tama, but was also responsible for the improvement of various port facilities as that of Nagasaki, Hakata ( Fukuoka ), Ujina ( Hiroshima ), Tokyo, Yokohama, Mikuni ( Sakai ) and Niigata.

His breakwater at the Port of Yokkaichi was recognized by the Japanese government as an Important Cultural Property.

Rijke also developed plans to improve the floodplain forests of various Japanese rivers. His preparatory work and planning led to the separation of the rivers Kiso, Nagara and Ibi in Nagoya, also known as the "Three Kiso Rivers ". Another important project was the construction of a tunnel channel from Lake Biwa to Kyoto, but also the drainage network of the Kanda.

This work led to Rijke appointed on January 1, 1891 by imperial decree in the Interior Ministry, where he held the post of Vice Minister.

China

1876 ​​Rijke traveled to Shanghai to help in planning to increase the navigability of the Yangtze.

In 1901 he returned to China to work on a project for flood control of the Yellow River. In 1902 he was involved in a project to increase the navigability of the Huangpu Jiang.

Late life

Rijke died at the age of 70 years in Amsterdam. He was buried in the cemetery Zorgvlied.

Awards

  • Order of the Sacred Treasure: January 15, 1889 ( 4th class), May 19, 1892 ( 3rd class); June 17, 1903 (2nd class)
  • Order of Orange - Nassau ( Officer ): January 13, 1911.
  • Order of the Netherlands Lion ( Knight ): January 17, 1913.
  • Order of Leopold ( Ritter)
Colijnsplaat Noord-Beveland IJ (Amsterdam) Water resource management Yoshino River Tama River Sakai (Fukui) Yokkaichi, Mie Riparian forest Nagara River Huangpu River Order of Orange-Nassau Order of Leopold (Belgium) Integrated Authority File
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