- Seed vault not endangered. Challenging, but manageable, Statsbygg says.

"The world’s doomsday vault threatened by melt water", "The Svalbard seed vault flooded". And yes, there is water in the entry areas.

There is not lack of drama in international media after this media discovered that water is seeping into the entry areas of the international seed vault in Svalbard – six months after it occurred.

- However, this poses no threat to the seeds. The situation is challenging, but definitely manageable, says Communications Director Hege Njaa Aschim of Statsbygg, the Norwegian state’s managing body for the vault. – It is not at all dramatic.

The permafrost failed

The world’s global seed bank was established and opened in 2008. Some technical improvements are needed after nine years of operations. The reason for this is that the permafrost has not established as expected, according to a press statement from Statsbygg.

Statsbygg has entered into an agreement with a counseling company, and this company is to suggest various measures to improve the access tunnel to the vault. They are to survey and suggest possible solutions for resisting increased amounts of water following a wetter and warmer climate on Svalbard.

The seeds are safe in the vault

The Dr. Techn. Olav Olsen company has been awarded the contract for surveying different prospects for improving the access tunnel to the seed vault. Long-term increasing of security is the goal. Snøhetta, Instanes Polar, Erichsen & Horgen, NGI and ECT are sub-advisors for the project.

Hege Njaa Aschim says to High North News that neither the seeds nor the vault in which they are placed are endangered.

- However, there has been some water seeping in to the access tunnel last fall. It has expedited the improvement plans for the tunnel, and we are working on these as we speak.

Escalated last fall

The challenges escalated last fall, when extreme weather led to more extensive water intrusions. We have not seen the same since, Njaa Aschim says.

At present, diversion ditches for melt water are dug to lead it away from the entrance area of the seed vault, a measure also meant to keep rainwater from accumulating in front of the entrance.

Proposal in the spring

- 14 million NOK have been allocated to surveying and engineering, and the expert group is to prepare a proposal by spring 2018.

The measures are part of a long-term plan to secure the seed vault further, based on a precautionary attitude, according to the Statsbygg press statement.

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