By reducing the surface area of the Oosterschelde there will be a smaller difference in height between high and low tide. In the north the Philisdam separates the Krammer from the Oosterschelde (350 km2). The Oester-dam will cut off an extra part of the Oosterschelde in the south with a surface of 450 km2. By doing this tidal difference will be reduced to 2.7 meters. This dam connects Tholen with Zuid-Beveland. On the east side a lake is formed with fresh water: the and the Markiezaat-meer and the Zoom-meer. These two lakes are connected by a channel which runs from the harbors in Antwerpen to Rotterdam and lies between Tholen and Noord-Brabant. This Channel is the Schelde-Rijn Channel. The waters in this channel have no tidal movements.