Zandkreekdam

The Zandkreekdam is a compartmentalisation dam located approximately 3 kilometres north of the city of Goes in The Netherlands. It connects Zuid-Beveland with Noord-Beveland, and separates the Oosterschelde from the Veerse Meer. The Zandkreeksluis navigation lock in the dam permits shipping connections to Middelburg and Vlissingen, via the Veerse Meer and the Walcheren navigation channel. The Zandkreekdam is 830 metres in length, and was the first compartmentalisation dam to be constructed as part of the Delta Works, having been proposed by Johan van Veen as part of the Drie-Eilanden Plan which originated in the 1930s. It was the second project constructed under the Delta Works Plan, after the Stormvloedkering Hollandse IJssel which was completed in 1958. The construction of the Zandkreekdam, together with the Veerse Gatdam in 1961, created the freshwater Veerse Meer (Veerse Lake). Poor water quality in the lake led to the decision to build a control lock, known as the Katse Heule, which was completed in 2004 and re-established saltwater intrusion from the Oosterschelde into the Veerse Meer, and led to a significant improvement in water quality. There are two bridges at the Zandkreekdam locks to permit vehicular traffic to pass over it at any time.