BRABANT FIGHTS AGAINST WATER
Oesterdam
The Oesterdam
The Oesterdam is a secondary barrier between Tholen
and Zuid-Beveland for the closure of the eastern
part of the Oosterschelde. This barrier is with its lengths of
11 kilometres the longest dam of all Delta works!!! The dam forms with
the Philipsdam and the Markiezaatkade part
of the Compartimenteringswerken.
The Oesterdam arranges for the separation of
sea and fresh water in the Oosterschelde area.. This is very important for
the fresh water balance in the provinces of Zeeland and Brabant. But there are
more reasons to build this dam. It was a part of an agreement with Belgium that
Holland allows for a tidalfree Schelde- Rijnconnection. This dam was also for
this purpose.
The Oosterdam developed by the construction of the work
locks of the Bergse Diepmaas
They started with the construction of the work dock for
the building of the Bergse Diepsluis (locks) near the southern coast of the isle
of Tholen. The tender procedure started and on 1 July the work dock is ready.
Thereafter the construction of the south dam starts.
This is a 3,25 kilometres long dam part and starts at the western side
of the Kreekraksluizen. The tender were completed at 10 June 1980 and the south
dam is ready on the 30th of June 1982.
In the middle of the Oesterdam also a dam was
constructed over the
Speelmansplaten existing of a dam called the "Speelmansplaten 1" (
lenght 4,15 km) . This was a dam on the south side of the work dock. There was a
also a second dam called the "Speelmansplaten
2 (length 1,25 km). The works started in June 1984 and in July 1985 the
Speelmansplaten 1 was ready and the Speelmansplaten 2
finally completed in May 1986.
Between the south dam and "Speelmansplaten
2" a one kilometre long opening exists namely between the work dock and the
coast of Tholen. This opening was closed on 29 October 1982.
But they weren't ready yet because there was still one opening called the Tholense Gat open. This opening was between the work dock of Bergse Diepsluis and the coast Tholen. This hole is closed at 23 October 1985 .
And this was the last part of the dam who was open so the dam was finally ready!! The opening of the dam to be exactly the road ] is on 6 November 1989
Back to main menu of the delta works.