Dutch Windmill Drainage System

Timeline

1. 1600–1630Netherlands · NetherlandsBy the early 17th century, the Netherlands had developed a drainage system centered on the post mill (wipmolen) and chain-pumping wheel, with windmills using gear transmission to drive Archimedes screws or chain buckets lifting water from low-lying polders to ring canals.
2. 1630–1660North Holland · North HollandBetween 1630 and 1660, the Dutch Republic advanced large polder projects such as the Beemster and Haarlemmermeer using windmill drainage systems, with multiple drainage windmills working in concert to significantly expand arable land and settlement areas.
3. 1661–1670Netherlands · NetherlandsBy around 1670, polder boards (waterschap) across the Netherlands uniformly managed drainage windmill networks; windmill drainage had become a lifeline of the national economy, laying the groundwork for land development before the era of steam pumping stations.