Grand Dutch Discovery Tour. The Dutch Delta Works!

Our 'GRAND DUTCH DISCOVERY TOUR' arrangements are based on "tailor made". Use our passion and in depth local knowledge. Let us show you the country we cherish and love. Tailor made, made-to-order, bespoke, custom-made. You tell us what you want (either in detail, or give us some parameters to work within), and then we arrange services to fit your wishes for your holiday, or advise you on improvements which we think you may want to consider. Please let us know what your preferred itinerary looks like by filling in the Contact Form and we will prepare a few options for you to consider.

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By 1958 the first Deltawork was already operational. It was the storm barrier in the river Hollandse Ijssel. This barrier (not a dam) was of great importance because it protected the densely populated western part of the Netherlands (known as 'the Randstad') against future flooding. Three years later, in 1961, two more mouths were closed: the Veerse Gat and the Zandkreek. The water between these dams soon became fresh and is now known as the Veerse Meer (Lake of Veere).

HISTORY: Studies conducted in 1937 by Rijkswaterstaat (Department of Public Works), showed that safety in many parts of the Netherlands could not be guaranteed at times of storms and high sea levels. In the densely populated areas near the river mouths of the Rhine, the Meuse, and the Schelde, it proved very difficult to build new dikes or strengthen the original ones. The first solution was to close all the river mouths: the Western Schelde, the Eastern Schelde, the Haringvliet, and the Brouwershavense Gat. This proposal was christened 'the Deltaplan'. In 1950, the first river mouths of the Brieles' Gat and the Botlek were closed. The Brielse Maas became a freshwater basin. This not only made the area safer, but it also provided Voorne with a freshwater supply. The plan was to build the remaining dams in the following decades. Unfortunately though, the infamous flood of 1953 prevented this from happening. Nearly two thousand people died and more than 150,000 hectares of land were flooded. People soon became aware that something had to be done, and very, very quickly. The whole story >>>>>
Don'f forget also visit 'The coolest Water Park in the Netherlands! Neeltje Jans