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 .  

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