Dijkgraaf (official)
A dijkgraaf, sometimes called a watergraaf, is the chair of a Dutch water board. He is the equivalent of a mayor in local government and a King's Commissioner in provincial government, chairing both the legislative and executive council, while having both ceremonial and representational roles as well as his own portfolios. The term goes back to pre-medieval days.
Literally the term means "Dike count", like other titles ending in -graaf of feudal origin, but remained a functional official. The government bodies in the Netherlands today in order of rank are:
- National
- Provincial
- Municipal
- Water boards. In medieval times and earlier however, the water boards were the same as municipal, and since it was a country of duchies, the Water board was in governmental terms the equivalent of a city, and thus also the highest form of government.
