Grevelingendam - 1965
The Grevelingendam is the fourth construction of the Delta works and lays between Schouwen-Duiveland and Goeree-Overflakkee. Work was started on this dam in 1958. After 7 years of hard work the dam was completely finished and the dam could finally be officially opened on the first of April 1965.
The Grevelingendam , with its 6 kilometres, far much longer than the Zandkreekdam or the Veerse Gatdam. Caissons, or concrete constructions, turned out to be less suitable. That is why a part of the dam was built by a revolutionary technique: by the use of a cable railway big concrete blocks were set into the water. For the rest of the dam already used techniques like dredging of sand and the sinking of the caissons. What also makes this dam special, is that it is not primarily used for flood protection. At least not for the water from the sea.
On the Westside of the Grevelingendam there was the Haringvlietdam. The construction of this was started earlier (1956), but the job would take until 1972. The Grevelingendam had to make the building of the Haringvlietdam, the Brouwersdam and the Oosterscheldekering easier. If the Brouwersdam had been built first, then it would have been a possible scenario that the water from the Grevelingenmeer via the Haringvliet( in the north) or the Oosterschelde ( in the South)would try to flow back into the sea. This extra flow was not desired.
By building the Grevelingendam and later the Brouwersdam the Grevelingenmeer ( Grevelingen creek) was a fact. It is the largest and clearest saltwater creek of South-West Europe and is known as one of the best diving areas there is to be found.
For more information about the Grevelingen creek; www.deltawerken.com/47.html
