The Volkerak is a body of water in the Netherlands. It is part of the Rhine-Mouse-Scheldt delta and is located between the island of Goeree-Overflakkee in the northwest and the Dutch mainland in the south and east. The western part of Volkerak is also called Krammer. The tributaries include Dintel and Steenbergse Vliet.
Before 1987 it was a tidal river open to the North Sea, but was closed as part of the Delta construction; it is now a freshwater lake.
The Volkerak is navigable for sea-going ships. At the eastern end there are locks (Volkeraksluizen) connecting it to the Hollands Diep. At the western end are the Philipsdam and Krammer locks (Krammersluizen), which connect it to the East Scheldt (Oosterschelde). Then also the Grevelingendam and Grevelingen locks (Grevelingensluis), which connect it to Grevelingen. Finally, the Scheldt-Rhine Canal connects it to the port of Antwerp. It also connects it to the North Sea, providing access for ocean-going ships.
Due to the small supply of fresh water to the now closed Volkerak and the flushing of agricultural nutrients, the lake suffers from algal blooms in summer[3] and bathing is forbidden. A decision to convert it back into a salt lake could be taken between 2015 and 2020.
History
Volkerak is estimated to be 600 years old. It was probably formed during the Sint-Elisabethflood (1421). The whole area between Dordrecht, Gorinchem and Roosendaal turned into a vast inland sea. In the first century after its creation, the Volkerak most closely resembled the Wadden Sea. A deep bay between mudflats with a number of smaller islands along its edges.
Reconstruction of parts of the Volkerak were in the 16th and 17th centuries . A number of prosperous towns were established here, for example Steenbergen and D. inteloord. These became increasingly distant from open water as a result of land reclamation. People tried to get boats into the towns by using canals. As the ships got bigger, the ports became inaccessible and trade declined.
The Future
The best solution to the problem is to convert Volkerak from a freshwater lake to a saltwater lake. Similar to Lake Grevelingen, but with the return of a small tide. This would require a change in the international treaties, because according to them the Scheldt-Rhine canal must remain tidal. It is possible that there will be a connection to Grevelingen so that the tide can return there as well. This offers opportunities for tidal energy.
In the Volkerak, we find fish such as the common candate and the river perch.
