Merwede
Encyclopedia
The Merwede is the name of several interconnected stretches of river in The Netherlands, all part of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta
. The Meuse river
joins the Waal at Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede
(Upper Merwede). A few kilometers downstream it splits into the Beneden Merwede
(Lower Merwede) on the right and the Nieuwe Merwede
(New Merwede) on the left. All these rivers are tidal. The Nieuwe Merwede joins the Bergse Maas
near Lage Zwaluwe to form the Hollands Diep
estuary, and separates the Island of Dordrecht from the Biesbosch
National Park. The Beneden Merwede splits into the Noord River and Oude Maas
near Papendrecht.
and Papendrecht
, during its early history it carried on his name all the way to the sea - including the rivers currently named Noord river and Nieuwe Maas
.
The situation changed during the later Middle Ages, when a major flood forced the Meuse river
to shift its main course towards the Merwede as well. From that moment on, several stretches of the original Merwede were named Meuse instead and served as the primary outflow of that river. These are currently known as the Oude Maas
and Nieuwe Maas
. However, during another series of severe floods (such as the St. Elizabeth flood) the river Meuse (and, to a lesser extent, the river Rhine as well) found an additional path towards the sea, resulting in the creation of the Biesbosch
and Hollands Diep
. Because of this, the influence of the river Meuse on its former estuary branches slowly diminished. In recent centuries the influence of the Meuse has decreased even further, to the point that the major stretches of river called Oude Maas
and Nieuwe Maas
were essentially cut off from the river Meuse completely.
From that moment on, both the current Merwede and all of its former lower stretches (containing the name Meuse or not) are only part of the delta of the Rhine, while the Meuse has been giving its own artificial mouth Bergse Maas
and the two rivers Rhine and Meuse are now mostly separated to reduce the risk of flooding.
The Merovingian Dynasty
probably derived its name from this river. See Emil Rückert
Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta
The Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta is a river delta in the Netherlands and Belgium formed by the confluence of the Rhine, the Meuse and the Scheldt rivers. The result is a multitude of islands, branches and branch names that may at first sight look bewildering, especially as a waterway that appears to...
. The Meuse river
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
joins the Waal at Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede
Boven Merwede
The Boven Merwede is a stretch of river in the Netherlands.The Afgedamde Maas river joins the Waal at Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede, which at Hardinxveld-Giessendam splits into the Beneden Merwede river on the right and the Nieuwe Merwede river on the left. Its length is 8.8 km...
(Upper Merwede). A few kilometers downstream it splits into the Beneden Merwede
Beneden Merwede
The Beneden Merwede is a stretch of river in the Netherlands, the continuation of the Boven Merwede after the branching-off of the Nieuwe Merwede ship canal. It flows from Hardinxveld-Giessendam to Dordrecht, where it splits into the Noord and Oude Maas rivers. Its length is 14.9 km...
(Lower Merwede) on the right and the Nieuwe Merwede
Nieuwe Merwede
The Nieuwe Merwede is a canal that was constructed in 1870 to form a branch in the Rhine-Meuse delta. It was dug along the general trajectories of a number of minor Biesbosch creeks to reduce the risk of flooding by diverting the water away from the Beneden Merwede, and to facilitate navigation...
(New Merwede) on the left. All these rivers are tidal. The Nieuwe Merwede joins the Bergse Maas
Bergse Maas
The Bergse Maas is a canal that was constructed in 1904 to be a branch of the Maas River in the Dutch province of North Brabant. The Maas splits near Heusden into the Afgedamde Maas and the Bergse Maas...
near Lage Zwaluwe to form the Hollands Diep
Hollands Diep
Hollands Diep is a wide river in the Netherlands and an estuary of the Rhine and Meuse river. Through the Scheldt-Rhine Canal it connects to the Scheldt river and Antwerp....
estuary, and separates the Island of Dordrecht from the Biesbosch
Biesbosch
De Biesbosch , is one of the largest national parks of the Netherlands and one of the last freshwater tide areas in Europe. The Biesbosch consists of a rather large network of rivers and smaller and larger creeks with islands. The vegetation is mostly willow forests, although wet grasslands and...
National Park. The Beneden Merwede splits into the Noord River and Oude Maas
Oude Maas
The Oude Maas is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It begins at the city of Dordrecht where the Beneden Merwede river splits into the Noord River and the Oude Maas...
near Papendrecht.
History
In medieval times there was no such distinction. The Merwede (or "Merwe" in Middle Dutch) was the name of a continuous stretch of river, considered to be the lower part of the river Waal (being a major distributary branch of the Rhine). Although the name Merwede is currently only used between the towns of WoudrichemWoudrichem
Woudrichem is a municipality and a city in the south of the Netherlands.- Population centres :Almkerk, Andel, Bronkhorst, Duizend Morgen, Eng, Giessen, Oudendijk, Rijswijk, Stenenheul, Uitwijk, Uppel, Waardhuizen, Woudrichem and Zandwijk....
and Papendrecht
Papendrecht
Papendrecht is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, at the crossing of the River Beneden Merwede and the Noord River...
, during its early history it carried on his name all the way to the sea - including the rivers currently named Noord river and Nieuwe Maas
Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It runs from the confluence of the rivers Noord and Lek, and flows west through Rotterdam. It ends west of the city where it meets the Oude Maas , near Vlaardingen,...
.
The situation changed during the later Middle Ages, when a major flood forced the Meuse river
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
to shift its main course towards the Merwede as well. From that moment on, several stretches of the original Merwede were named Meuse instead and served as the primary outflow of that river. These are currently known as the Oude Maas
Oude Maas
The Oude Maas is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It begins at the city of Dordrecht where the Beneden Merwede river splits into the Noord River and the Oude Maas...
and Nieuwe Maas
Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It runs from the confluence of the rivers Noord and Lek, and flows west through Rotterdam. It ends west of the city where it meets the Oude Maas , near Vlaardingen,...
. However, during another series of severe floods (such as the St. Elizabeth flood) the river Meuse (and, to a lesser extent, the river Rhine as well) found an additional path towards the sea, resulting in the creation of the Biesbosch
Biesbosch
De Biesbosch , is one of the largest national parks of the Netherlands and one of the last freshwater tide areas in Europe. The Biesbosch consists of a rather large network of rivers and smaller and larger creeks with islands. The vegetation is mostly willow forests, although wet grasslands and...
and Hollands Diep
Hollands Diep
Hollands Diep is a wide river in the Netherlands and an estuary of the Rhine and Meuse river. Through the Scheldt-Rhine Canal it connects to the Scheldt river and Antwerp....
. Because of this, the influence of the river Meuse on its former estuary branches slowly diminished. In recent centuries the influence of the Meuse has decreased even further, to the point that the major stretches of river called Oude Maas
Oude Maas
The Oude Maas is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It begins at the city of Dordrecht where the Beneden Merwede river splits into the Noord River and the Oude Maas...
and Nieuwe Maas
Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It runs from the confluence of the rivers Noord and Lek, and flows west through Rotterdam. It ends west of the city where it meets the Oude Maas , near Vlaardingen,...
were essentially cut off from the river Meuse completely.
From that moment on, both the current Merwede and all of its former lower stretches (containing the name Meuse or not) are only part of the delta of the Rhine, while the Meuse has been giving its own artificial mouth Bergse Maas
Bergse Maas
The Bergse Maas is a canal that was constructed in 1904 to be a branch of the Maas River in the Dutch province of North Brabant. The Maas splits near Heusden into the Afgedamde Maas and the Bergse Maas...
and the two rivers Rhine and Meuse are now mostly separated to reduce the risk of flooding.
The Merovingian Dynasty
Merovingian dynasty
The Merovingians were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region largely corresponding to ancient Gaul from the middle of the 5th century. Their politics involved frequent civil warfare among branches of the family...
probably derived its name from this river. See Emil Rückert