Waaltje

Map of present-day IJsselmonde with the Waaltje as a dashed line, separating the former island Zwijdrechtse Waard from the historic extent of IJsselmonde.

The Waaltje (common name; Dutch for Little Waal) is a dammed river in the western Netherlands, southeast of Rotterdam. Historically it used to be the western end of the Waal river, hence its official name continues to be Waal, although the intermediate Waal sections, Boven Merwede, Beneden Merwede, and a subsection of the Noord, have long changed their names.

The Waaltje marks the border between the Zwijdrechtse Waard, formerly a separate island, and the historic Island of IJsselmonde. Since the damming of this Waal section, IJsselmonde also encompasses the Zwijndrechtse Waard (see map to the right).

The Waaltje runs from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, along Oostendam, through Rijsoord, and along Barendrecht to Heerjansdam. In Heerjansdam it now connects to the Oude Maas through a pumping station. In 1332 William I, Count of Hainaut had the Waal dammed at Oostendam.

In Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht the Waaltje connected to the Noord through the old port of Ambacht. Now the Waaltje ends just southwest of the Damweg. Recently, the old port of Ambacht has also been dammed on the northeast side, transforming it into another enclosed section of the old Waal.

The Waaltje is crossed by a highway, the A16, the railway between Rotterdam and Dordrecht, the HSL and the Betuweroute. The A15 runs between the A16 and the Noord to the north of the Waaltje.

The Waaltje is managed by the water board Hollandse Delta. Its waters are on the clear end. It is used for boating,^[1] amateur fishing,^[2] diving, swimming^[3] and skating.

Along the eastern bank of the Waaltje in Heerjansdam, between the clubhouse of the business association and the restaurant, volunteers from among others the environmental association Heerjansdam created an educational nature trail named Waalpad. Other walking trails along the Waaltje can be found in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, along the Kerkstraat and between Oordenweg and Jaapgpad. Nature development Wevershoek in Barendrecht also offers opportunities to walk along the Waaltje.

Panoramic view of the Waaltje between Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht and Oostendam. The pedestrian bridge on the left was built in the 1970s.

References

↑ "Nachtdieren langer op door wintertijd". RTV Rijnmond. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
↑ https://www.h-i-ambacht.nl/hendriki/up/ZiwujxvIgC_20071114_Voorlichtingspagina_14_november_2007.pdf
↑ Jorritsma, Elsje (8 January 2016). "DE ONSTUITBARE OPKOMST VAN DE OPENWATERZWEMMERS". NRC Handelsblad.

External links

Waaltje page with photos and text in Dutch
Waaltje page at Nature Friends of IJsselmonde

Coordinates: 51°51′17″N 4°34′48″E / 51.8548°N 4.5799°E / 51.8548; 4.5799

Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta

Rhine Rijn Rhin	Current distributaries Waal Nederrijn IJssel Lek Merwede Boven Merwede Nieuwe Merwede Beneden Merwede Oude Maas Dordtsche Kil Noord Nieuwe Maas Het 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

Meuse Maas	Current distributaries Bergse Maas Amer Former distributaries Oude Maasje Afgedamde Maas Merwede Boven Merwede Beneden Merwede Oude Maas Dordtsche Kil Noord Nieuwe Maas Het 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

Scheldt 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 Walcheren

Other rivers (directly draining into the delta)	Linge Mark Donge Rotte Oude IJssel

Islands and 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

Towns	Rotterdam Antwerp Dordrecht Bergen-op-Zoom Schiedam Vlissingen Vlaardingen Middelburg Spijkenisse

Other topics	Delta Works Verdronken Land van Reimerswaal Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe St. Elizabeth's flood (1421) St. Felix's Flood All Saints' Flood (1570)

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