Oesterdam

Oesterdam
The Oesterdam
Coordinates51°28′43.4″N 4°13′11.6″E / 51.478722°N 4.219889°E / 51.478722; 4.219889
CarriesN659 road
CrossesEastern Scheldt Estuary
OwnerRijkswaterstaat
Characteristics
Total length10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi)
History
Engineering design byDeltadienst
Constructed bySeveral contractors, including:
Zanen Verstoep,
Baggermaatschappij Holland bv, and
Volker Stevin Baggeren
Construction start1979
Construction end1986
Opened1989 (fully open with N569 road constructed over the dam)
Location

The Oesterdam (English: Oyster Dam) is a compartmentalisation dam in The Netherlands, situated between Tholen and South Beveland in the eastern part of the Eastern Scheldt. The dam, with a length of 10.5 kilometres, is the longest structure built for the Delta Works. The Oesterdam was necessitated, like the Philipsdam, after the decision was taken to close off the Eastern Scheldt with a storm surge barrier, rather than a solid dam.

For navigation of recreational boats and fishing vessels between the Scheldt–Rhine Canal and the Eastern Scheldt, the dam contains a small lock near its northern end, the Bergse Diepsluis. Located adjacent to the dam near its southern end are a pair of large locks, the Kreekraksluizen, constructed to separate the canal's brackish water to the south from the freshwater to the north.