The seven weirs in the Dutch Meuse, managed by Rijkswaterstaat, were originally built between 1925 and 1936 to ensure year-round navigability. As these structures approach the end of their lifespan, they must be renovated or replaced between 2028 and 2035. Modern requirements, sustainability goals and climate change impacts necessitate a new approach to their design.

This study develops a guideline for sustainable weir design, structured into four phases: pre-exploratory, exploratory, plan development, and tendering/execution. These phases address key sustainability aspects, including circularity, ecological requirements and material efficiency. The guideline aims to integrate sustainability throughout the design process.

To test its applicability, the guideline was applied to a case study and validated by experts. The result is a structured framework that supports sustainable decision-making.