Volkerak
Encyclopedia
The Volkerak is a body of water
in the Netherlands
. It is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, and is situated between the island Goeree-Overflakkee
to the north-west and the Dutch mainland to the south and east. The western part of the Volkerak is also called Krammer
.
Tributaries of the Volkerak are the Dintel
and Steenbergse Vliet
. The Volkerak is navigable by sea-going ships through the Volkerak Locks (Volkeraksluizen) from the Hollands Diep
. The Scheldt–Rhine Canal connects it to the port of Antwerp
.
Before 1967, it was a tidal river open to the North Sea
, but it was closed off as part of the Delta Works
.
Body of water
A body of water or waterbody is any significant accumulation of water, usually covering the Earth or another planet. The term body of water most often refers to large accumulations of water, such as oceans, seas, and lakes, but it may also include smaller pools of water such as ponds, puddles or...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, and is situated between the island Goeree-Overflakkee
Goeree-Overflakkee
Goeree-Overflakkee is the southernmost delta island of the province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is separated from Voorne-Putten and Hoeksche Waard by the Haringvliet, from the mainland of North Brabant by the Volkerak, and from Schouwen-Duiveland by Lake Grevelingen.From west to east, it...
to the north-west and the Dutch mainland to the south and east. The western part of the Volkerak is also called Krammer
Krammer
The Krammer is a body of water in the Netherlands.It is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, and is situated between the islands Goeree-Overflakkee and Sint Philipsland. To its east, it continues into the Volkerak...
.
Tributaries of the Volkerak are the Dintel
Dintel
The Dintel is a river in North Brabanat that runs from Oudenbosch to Standdaarbuiten....
and Steenbergse Vliet
Steenbergse Vliet
The Steenbergse Vliet is a small river in North Brabant, the Netherlands. It rises near Steenbergen and flows into the Volkerak, which is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta....
. The Volkerak is navigable by sea-going ships through the Volkerak Locks (Volkeraksluizen) from 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....
. The Scheldt–Rhine Canal connects it to the port of Antwerp
Port of Antwerp
The port of Antwerp, in Belgium, is a port in the heart of Europe accessible to capesize ships. Antwerp stands at the upper end of the tidal estuary of the Scheldt. The estuary is navigable by ships of more than 100,000 Gross Tons as far as 80 km inland. The inland location means that the port...
.
Before 1967, it was a tidal river open to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, but it was closed off as part of the Delta Works
Delta Works
The Delta Works is a series of construction projects in the southwest of the Netherlands to protect a large area of land around the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta from the sea. The works consist of dams, sluices, locks, dikes, levees, and storm surge barriers...
.