Philipsdam is a dam that is part of the

Delta Works The Delta Works ( nl, Deltawerken) is a series of construction projects in the southwest of the Netherlands to protect a large area of land around the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta from the sea. Constructed between 1954 and 1997, the works con ...

in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. It separates water of the lakes

Krammer The Krammer is a body of fresh water located in the western part of Volkerak in the Netherlands. It is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, and is situated between the islands Goeree-Overflakkee and Sint Philipsland. To the west, it cont ...

and

Volkerak The Volkerak is a body of water in the Netherlands. It is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, and is situated between the island Goeree-Overflakkee to the north-west and the Dutch mainland to the south and east. The western part of the Volk ...

from the

Oosterschelde The Eastern Scheldt ( nl, Oosterschelde) is a former estuary in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands, between Schouwen-Duiveland and Tholen on the north and Noord-Beveland and Zuid-Beveland on the south. It also features the largest natio ...

. This dam connects the Grevelingendam to Sint Philipsland.

History

Construction began in late 1976 by erecting an artificial island on the sand Plaat van Vliet. Eighteen months later, when the island was completed, construction of

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

s began for inland navigation and

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

s. In 1983 the complex of locks

was completed. The dam officially opened on February 2, 1987. In 1994, a second lock was built for yachts.

Locks

The locks are technically sophisticated because they must avoid the exchange between the freshwater Volkerak and the

brackish water Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...

of the Oosterschelde. The locks are designed so that there is no influx of saltwater that enters the Volkerak and only a little fresh water in the Oosterschelde. The locks rely on the physical principle that saltwater is denser and sinks, while freshwater rises. By a complex system of pipes and pumps the saltwater is pumped from the bottom, or conversely, freshwater is pumped from the top, depending on the direction of the ship. Locks on inland waterways are 280

metre The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...

s long and 24 metres wide.

Environmental impacts

The dam considerably changed the surrounding landscape.

Alluvial Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. All ...

tidal marsh A tidal marsh (also known as a type of "tidal wetland") is a marsh found along rivers, coasts and estuaries which floods and drains by the tidal movement of the adjacent estuary, sea or ocean. Tidal marshes are commonly zoned into lower marshes ( ...

now support a rich animal life. An observation hut was installed to facilitate the observation of the many species of birds such as the

pied avocet The pied avocet (''Recurvirostra avosetta'') is a large black and white wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae. They breed in temperate Europe and across the Palearctic to Central Asia then on to the Russian Far East. It is a ...

External links

* {{coord, 51, 39, 41, N, 4, 09, 42, E, region:NL_type:landmark_source:kolossus-nlwiki, display=title Dams in the Netherlands Dams completed in 1987 Delta Works Buildings and structures in South Holland Buildings and structures in Zeeland Goeree-Overflakkee Tholen