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The river IJssel
runs through Rotterdam to the North Sea. Draining of this river must be ensured to prevent
an overflow, even up-river. Building a dam was necessary because of the great risk
involved for almost 1,5 million people who escaped from a even greater catastrophe at that
Sunday night in 1953. Behind the dikes of the river there was the most low laying area of
the Netherlands. With Polders laying up to 6,25 meter minus NAP and with a population of
1,5 million will provide the ideal place for a complete catastrophe. Complete houses will
be under water. So building this dam was a real must.
Building a dam was a good solution but shipping in the IJssel must not be hindered.
They decided to built a dam with slides who can be lowered only by extreme high and low
tides. The plan was to make two gates, each 80 meters wide. The gates were to be lowered
by four towers. Beside the two gates, they would build a lock, so in that way the ships
with to must height could pass the dam, and ships could also pass when the water was to
high. |
| Building a dam was a
good solution but shipping in the IJssel must not be hindered. They decided to built a dam
with slides who can be lowered only by extreme high and low tides. The plan was to make
two gates, each 80 meters wide. The gates were to be lowered by four towers. Beside the
two gates, they would build a lock, so in that way the ships with to must height could
pass the dam, and ships could also pass when the water was to high. |
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