The Zwarte Water is an approximately 19 km long river in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It rises in Zwolle, where it flows from the Soestwetering and Nieuwe Wetering. The Zwarte Water flows into the Zwarte Meer. Weteringe (German: Wettern) are drainage channels for land reclamation. Contrary to popular belief, the river is not an arm of the IJssel or another name for the Vecht. However, the river is connected to the IJssel by two canals, the Willemsvaart (dug in the early 19th century, now disused) and the Zwolle-IJssel canal.
How deep is the Zwarte Water?
Depth: very variable, but usually around 3 to 4 metres in the middle.
The course of the river
The most important ‚tributary‘ is the 182 km long Vechte, which in the Netherlands is called the Vecht (Overijsselse). North of Zwolle, it flows into the Zwarte Water, which flows through Hasselt, Zwartsluis and Genemuiden to join the Zwarte Meer. The canal that currently connects the Zwarte Water with the IJssel near Zwolle is the IJssel-Zwolle canal.
Ecology
In the riparian areas of the river, the most common species in the Netherlands is the swordtail (Fritillaria meleagris).
History
The word „zwart“ in the name Zwarte Water is probably not related to the colour zwart = „black“, but rather to the word „zwet“, which means „border“, also in the form „zwette“. In old documents. The river is also called „Ons Water“ or „water that flows into the sea“ (het water dat gaat naar de zee).
The Zwarte was of great importance to the development of the Hanseatic city of Zwolle, as it connected it to the sea and thus to other Hanseatic cities.
