Scheldt–Rhine Canal
The Scheldt–Rhine Canal (Schelde-Rijnkanaal) in Belgium and the Netherlands connects Antwerp with the Volkerak, and thereby the Scheldt with the Rhine.[3]
Route
The canal starts close to the Scheldt river, at the port of Antwerp, and generally runs north. After it passes the Dutch-Belgian border, it serves as the border between the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Zeeland. Just north of Zuid-Beveland ships have to pass the Kreekrak sluices [nl] to enter the lower part of the canal. Just north of the sluices the canal enters the artificial Zoommeer [nl] and leaves this lake again as a canalised section of the former Eendracht strait, before terminating in the Volkerak estuary. Here, the Volkerak sluices [nl] provide access to the Rhine-Meuse Delta and the port of Rotterdam.
History
During the 1920s the Belgian government demanded a replacement for the Canal through Zuid-Beveland, to keep the port of Antwerp accessible for the lucrative Rhine trade. According to the original plan, the new canal was supposed to connect Antwerp directly to Moerdijk on the Hollands Diep, but after the Second World War and the North Sea flood of 1953 the Dutch government decided that the new canal should be part of the Delta Works and proposed a more westerly route, in fact it would take the same route as the ancient Striene river. After the Belgian government agreed in 1963, work on the canal began.
In order to keep the canal free of tides, two dams were built to separate the tidal Oosterschelde from the Scheldt-Rhine canal. These are the Oesterdam (resulting in the creation of the Zoommeer) and the Philipsdam (that turned the Volkerak estuary into a freshwater lake).
Bridges
It crosses the east of Zuid-Beveland, where it is crossed by a railroad bridge (between the stations Rilland-Bath on the west and Bergen op Zoom on the east) and three road bridges, and along Tholen, where it is spanned by three road bridges.
References
- ^ Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
- ^ Dutch "Vaarwegen in Nederland" Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
- ^ "Schelde-Rijnkanaal" (in Dutch). Rijkswaterstaat. Archived from the original on 2014-10-27.
Map[dead link] 51°27′07″N 4°13′48″E / 51.452°N 4.23°E / 51.452; 4.23
- v
- t
- e
Rijn
Rhin
- Current distributaries
- Waal
- Nederrijn
- IJssel
- Lek
- Merwede
- Boven Merwede
- Nieuwe Merwede
- Beneden Merwede
- Oude Maas
- Dordtsche Kil
- Noord
- Nieuwe Maas
- Scheur
- Nieuwe Waterweg
- Former distributaries
- Kromme Rijn
- Leidse Rijn
- Oude Rijn
- Hollandse IJssel
- Vecht
- Waaltje
- Brielse Maas
- Spui
- Current estuaries
- Nieuwe Waterweg
- IJsselmeer
- Former estuaries
- Hollands Diep
- Haringvliet
- Volkerak
- Krammer
- Grevelingen
- Keeten-Mastgat
- Oosterschelde
- Associated canals
- Bijlands Kanaal
- Pannerdens Kanaal
- Amsterdam–Rhine Canal
- Vaartse Rijn
- Nieuwe Merwede
- Nieuwe Waterweg
- Scheldt–Rhine Canal
- Maas–Waal Canal
Maas
- Current distributaries
- Bergse Maas
- Amer
- Former distributaries
- Oude Maasje
- Afgedamde Maas
- Merwede
- Boven Merwede
- Beneden Merwede
- Oude Maas
- Dordtsche Kil
- Noord
- Nieuwe Maas
- Scheur
- Nieuwe Waterweg
- Current estuaries
- Former estuaries
- Hollands Diep
- Haringvliet
- Volkerak
- Krammer
- Grevelingen
- Keeten-Mastgat
- Oosterschelde
- Associated canals
- Heusden Canal
- Bergse Maas
- Maas–Waal Canal
Schelde
Escaut
- Current distributaries
- Western Scheldt
- Former distributaries
- Oosterschelde
- Eendracht
- Current estuaries
- Western Scheldt
- Former estuaries
- Oosterschelde
- Krammer
- Grevelingen
- Associated canals
- Scheldt–Rhine Canal
- Canal through Zuid-Beveland
- Canal through Walcheren
(directly draining
into the delta)
- Linge
- Mark
- Donge
- Rotte
- Oude IJssel
Peninsulas
- Rozenburg
- IJsselmonde
- Het Eiland van Dordt
- Voorne and Putten
- Hoeksche Waard
- Tiengemeten
- Goeree-Overflakkee
- Schouwen-Duiveland
- Tholen
- Sint Philipsland
- Walcheren
- Noord-Beveland
- Zuid-Beveland
- Delta Works
- Verdronken Land van Reimerswaal
- Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe
- St. Elizabeth's flood (1421)
- St. Felix's Flood
- All Saints' Flood (1570)