Zandkreekdam

Shortly after the barrier in the Hollands Ijssel was finished, the build of the Zandkreekdam was started. This was one of the 2 dams that would connect Walcheren, North-Beveland and South-Beveland according to the ”3 island plan”.

The Zandkreekdam is 830 metres long and connects South-Beveland with North-Beveland, somewhere in the middle of Goes and Kortgene. This divides the salt Oosterschelde and the fresh Veerse Meer. The dam on the North sea side of the Veerse Meer is called de Veersegatdam . The Zandkreekdam was necessary for being able to make the Veersegatdam. If the Zandkreekdam would have been made after the Veersegatdam, then there would have been serious problems because of the currents.To understand this we have to return to the caissons. These concrete structures were placed one by one in the gap that was to be closed. The smaller the gap was the more violent the current became. The same amount of water would squeeze through the gap which was getting smaller. The current would have been so strong that the last caissons would not have been able to be placed. If the Veersegatdam would have been built without the Zandkreekdam, then the sea water would cause trouble at ‘ the back side’ ( in to the Oosterschelde, via the Veerse Meer back into the North sea.)

Now it was the other way around, the sea water could not go back into the sea through the Veerse Meer. The currents were much less now so the building of the Veersegatdam and the placing of the caissons was much easier.

The caisson that were used for the Zandkreekdam were 11 metres long, 7.5 metres wide and 6 metres high. In 1960 the last caissons were put into place. The Zandkreekdam was a fact and the Veerse Meer was on its way to live up to her name.

For more information check: www.deltawerken.com/152.html