A group of advisors from the Netherlands are in New Orleans this weekend, hoping to provide some ideas on improving flood protection in the city.

It's advice some New Orleans planners hope will lead to improvements in how the city deals with the water that surrounds it.

"Usually when you need help you go to see a doctor, and I think the Dutch have that role for us of being the advisor that we can use now and hopefully continue this process," said architect David Waggonner

20 urban planners from the Netherlands are in New Orleans this weekend drafting plans and sharing ideas for how the city can best deal with its flooding issues.

One prevailing idea, Dutch representatives here say, is that New Orleans needs to learn to better embrace its position on the water, be it the river or lake.

"You contrast that with cities in the Netherlands, some of the most beautiful cities water is all around," said Netherlands embassy representative Dale Morris.

Some of the suggestions include the integration of more retention ponds and canals within the city, along with an effort to restore more wetlands.

"You have canals, you have beautiful water storage areas which are wetland reserves, and you can build those into your city so that it makes it more attractive and more livable," Morris said.

While the Dutch have their own unique forms of floodgates, they say it's not the end-all solution to their flood protection. Their observations are that New Orleans appears to want to simply block the water out instead of work with it.

"The levees here tend to be like walls in the neighborhood, and they tend to separate people from the water. So there is a feeling of safety behind these big walls, which is not completely real," said Amsterdam Senior Urban Planner Ton Schaap.

Dutch landscape architect Steven Slabbers agrees.

"The floodwall may be a perfect technical solution, but it doesn't add any quality. It's like the Berlin wall in a neighborhood," Slabbers said.

The group plans to continue their discussion with local planners throughout Sunday before meeting with the New Orleans City Council on Monday.