BRABANT FIGHTS AGAINST WATER
The Grevelingen
The activities as part of the delta plan are moving more inland after the success by Veerse gat. Namely the closing of the Grevelingen with a dam between Schouwen-Duiveland and Goeree-Overflakkee. The dam will have a length more then 6 kilometers.
The
operation starts in 1958. As usual they start to build a construction dock. The
construction dock is situated close to the town of Bruinisse .
At
this location also the construction starts of a excavation for the locks with
dimensions of 125 meters by 16
meter
During
the construction of the locks works continued to prepare the initial phase of
the barrier. The barrier is constructed on the " Plaat van Oude Tonge [
sandbank]." After this part of the dam is completed there are still 3
openings. One has a length of 400 meters in way of the "Plaat
van Oude Tonge and a double opening at the site of the Sint Jacob en Krammer.
In
1961 the barrier at the Oude-Tonge is completed. In the southern part of the
opening a threshold is created For this purpose the engineers uses old materials
such as willow tree sinker but they also used new materials such as plastic
asphalt and nylon.,
In
May 1962 the gap between the sandbank
of Oude-tonge and the new locks are closed. The barrier however has not
been completed yet because there are still two openings left on the
Goeree-Overflakkee site.
A
new idea developed namely a cable car.!!!!
The
intention to use the cable car over the stretch of water and then the gondola
(cars) to carry the stones and dump them at the appropriate position in the
water.
The
cable car was manufactured in France and cost 8,2
million Dutch guilders.
During
the construction of the barrier a cable car was used.
During
January the fate strikes. Because of a winter storm part of all the Construction
got destroyed. Although the set back in the construction the operation recovered
and part of the works was re-established.
So...the barriers finally completed in 1965.
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