Channel of Merwede

The Channel of Merwede (in Dutch: Merwedekanaal ) is a channel Dutch in the provinces of Utrecht and the Holland-Southerner. It was opened with navigation in 1892 and has a 35 kilometers length.

Geography

The channel connects the Canal of Amsterdam to the Rhine with Utrecht with the Merwede higher than the south of Gorinchem. North in the south, the channel passes to Utrecht, Nieuwegein, Vianen, Meerkerk and Gorinchem. Between Utrecht and Nieuwegein, the channel crosses the Channel of Amsterdam to the Rhine, between Nieuwegein and Vianen it crosses the Lek. In the north of Gorinchem, it also crosses small the Canal of Steenenhoek.

In the center of Nieuwegein, the Dutch IJssel is born since this channel.

History

At its origin, the channel of Merwede started in the oriental party of the ports of Amsterdam. The decision of the construction of the channel was made in 1881 by the minister Klerck. In 1892, the channel is opened with the navigation. Partly, the channel was arranged by the widening and the deepening of the existing channels, of which the Keulse Vaart, dug in 1825. Between Utrecht and Vreeswijk, one used the Vaartse Rijn and between Vianen and Gorinchem the Zederikkanaal. The way from Amsterdam to Utrecht was new.

The channel counted five lock S.

In the years 1920, the channel did not fulfill any more the requirements of the time. The project of the Canal of Amsterdam to the Rhine had been born: by increasing the level of water between Amsterdam and the Lek, by removing the locks and in installation a shorter way, one could obtain a better run time. Moreover, additional widening and the deepening would make it possible to accommodate more boats. In 1931, the decision of installation was taken. In 1952, the Amsterdam way - Utrecht was integrated in this new channel. The part connecting Utrecht to Gorinchem remained in the state.

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