canonical: https://jentic.com/apis/pdok.nl/pdok-oppervlaktewaterlichamen # Pdok Nl Oppervlaktewaterlichamen Jentic publishes the only available OpenAPI specification for Oppervlaktewaterlichamen, keeping it validated and agent-ready. This PDOK API provides nationwide spatial data for surface water bodies managed by Rijkswaterstaat (RWS), the Dutch national water authority. The dataset represents the spatial foundation for the EU Water Framework Directive (KRW) in the Netherlands, compiled from district-level data as both line and polygon features. It covers rivers, canals, lakes, and other surface water bodies with their official WFD classifications. ## For AI agents Query Dutch surface water body geometry as lines and polygons for Water Framework Directive compliance. Access nationwide RWS-managed water features. ## Scope Does not handle groundwater, marine habitats, or topographic mapping - use for official WFD surface water body geometry in the Netherlands only. ## Capabilities - Retrieve surface water body polygons (vlakken) for area-based spatial analysis - Access surface water body lines (lijnen) for linear water feature mapping - Query individual water body features by ID for detailed geometry - List all surface water bodies compiled from RWS district data - Provide Water Framework Directive reference geometry for Dutch water management ## Use cases ### Water Framework Directive Compliance Reporting Access the official spatial reference dataset for surface water bodies used in EU Water Framework Directive reporting. The API provides the geometries that form the basis for water quality monitoring, ecological status assessment, and management planning across all Dutch water bodies under RWS jurisdiction. Example prompt: GET /vlakken/ to retrieve all surface water body polygons for use in WFD status reporting and management area delineation ### Hydrological Analysis and Modeling Download water body line and polygon features for hydrological modeling, flood risk assessment, or water management planning. The dataset covers rivers, canals, lakes, and transitional waters with geometries suitable for GIS overlay analysis and hydraulic model input. Example prompt: GET /lijnen/ to retrieve all water body line features for input into a hydrological network model ### Environmental Permit Assessment Query water body geometries to determine which classified surface water bodies are affected by proposed developments, discharge permits, or land use changes. The official RWS water body boundaries establish regulatory jurisdiction for environmental permits under Dutch water law. Example prompt: GET `/vlakken/{id}`/ to retrieve the polygon geometry of a specific water body and check spatial overlap with a proposed development area ### AI Agent Water Data Retrieval via Jentic AI agents query Dutch surface water body data as part of environmental analysis or regulatory workflows. Through Jentic, the agent discovers water body endpoints, loads the schema, and retrieves line or polygon features without navigating Dutch-language documentation or WFS conventions. Example prompt: Search Jentic for 'Dutch surface water body data', load the /vlakken/ schema, and execute to retrieve water body polygons for spatial analysis ## Key endpoints | Method | Path | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | GET | `/vlakken/` | List all surface water body polygon features | | GET | `/vlakken/{id}/` | Retrieve a specific water body polygon by ID | | GET | `/lijnen/` | List all surface water body line features | | GET | `/lijnen/{id}/` | Retrieve a specific water body line feature by ID | ## Key resources - **Vlakken (Polygons)** — Surface water body area features as polygon geometries - **Lijnen (Lines)** — Surface water body features as line geometries ## Why Jentic - **Setup:** Wiring this PDOK surface water body service by hand means learning its Dutch-named /vlakken and /lijnen feature endpoints and their query structure yourself, even though it is open and needs no key. Through Jentic you install once, import the Oppervlaktewaterlichamen service from the API Directory, and your agent calls it with no credential to manage. - **Permission scoping:** This service carries the feature id in the URL path (for example `/vlakken/{id}`/ and `/lijnen/{id}`/), so a rule can pin your agent to reading water body polygons or lines and nothing else. The operations are read-only queries and you choose which the agent may call, so only the ones you allow run. - **Credential handling:** This PDOK service is public open data and needs no authentication, so there is no credential to store; Jentic handles schema access and intent-based discovery at execution time. - **Discovery method:** Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'Dutch surface water body polygons', and Jentic returns the /vlakken/ or /lijnen/ operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the Dutch-language WFS docs. ## Related APIs - **PDOK Habitatrichtlijn WFS** — Habitat distribution data for Natura 2000 areas - **PDOK Mossel- en Oester Habitats** — Marine shellfish habitat data from Wadden Sea tidal flats - **OpenStreetMap API** — General mapping data for base layers and geographic context ## FAQ ### Why is there no official OpenAPI spec for the PDOK Oppervlaktewaterlichamen API? PDOK does not publish an OpenAPI specification for this WFS service. Jentic generates and maintains this spec so that AI agents and developers can call the Oppervlaktewaterlichamen API via structured tooling. It is validated against the live API and kept up to date. Get started with Jentic One, the self-hosted execution layer. ### What authentication does this PDOK surface water API require? No authentication is required. This is a public Dutch government open data service operated by Rijkswaterstaat. All endpoints are freely accessible without API keys or tokens. ### What is the difference between vlakken and lijnen endpoints? The /vlakken/ endpoints provide surface water bodies as polygon geometries representing areas. The /lijnen/ endpoints provide the same water bodies as line geometries representing linear features like river centerlines. Choose polygons for area analysis and lines for network modeling. ### What regulatory framework does this data support? This dataset forms the spatial foundation for the EU Water Framework Directive (Kaderrichtlijn Water, KRW) in the Netherlands. It defines the official water body boundaries used for ecological status reporting, monitoring network design, and water management planning. ### How do I query water body data through Jentic? Install with pip install jentic, search for 'Dutch surface water bodies', and Jentic returns the /vlakken/ or /lijnen/ endpoint schemas. Execute the GET call to retrieve all features or `/vlakken/{id}`/ for a specific water body polygon. ### Which water management authority maintains this data? Rijkswaterstaat (RWS), the Dutch national water authority, maintains this dataset. It is compiled from district-level data covering all surface water bodies under national management jurisdiction. ### Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the PDOK Oppervlaktewaterlichamen API? Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which of this API's operations the agent may call, and it can invoke only the ones you allow. This service exposes read-only GET queries with the feature id in the URL path, so you can pin the agent to listing or reading water body polygons via /vlakken/ and `/vlakken/{id}`/, restrict it to line features via /lijnen/ and `/lijnen/{id}`/, or allow only a subset. Since the endpoints are public open data with no credential to manage, scoping is purely about which of these four read operations you permit.