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Scheldt

July 24, 2023

"Schelde" redirects here. For other uses, see Schelde (disambiguation).

The Scheldt (/ʃɛlt, skɛlt/ SHELT, SKELT; French: Escaut [ɛsko]; Dutch: Schelde [ˈsxɛldə] (listen)) is a 435-kilometre-long (270 mi)[4] river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old English sceald ("shallow"), Modern English shoal, Low German schol, West Frisian skol, and obsolete Swedish skäll ("thin").[citation needed]

Scheldt
The Scheldt in Antwerp
Course of the Scheldt
Native name
Location
Countries
  • France
  • Belgium
  • Netherlands
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationFrance
 • elevation97 m (318 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
North Sea
 • coordinates
51°25′51″N 3°31′44″E / 51.43083°N 3.52889°E / 51.43083; 3.52889
Length360 km (220 mi)
Basin size21,863 km2 (8,441 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average104 m3/s (3,700 cu ft/s)
Official nameSchorren van de Beneden Schelde
Designated4 March 1986
Reference no.327[1]
Official nameWesterschelde & Saeftinghe
Designated9 April 1995
Reference no.748[2]
Official nameVallées de la Scarpe et de l'Escaut
Designated2 February 2020
Reference no.2405[3]

Course

The headwaters of the Scheldt are in Gouy, in the Aisne department of northern France. It flows north through Cambrai and Valenciennes, and enters Belgium near Tournai. Ghent developed at the confluence of the Lys, one of its main tributaries, and the Scheldt, which then turns east. Near Antwerp, the largest city on its banks, the Scheldt flows west into the Netherlands toward the North Sea.[citation needed]

Originally there were two branches from that point: the Oosterschelde (Eastern Scheldt); and the Westerschelde (Western Scheldt). In the 19th century, however, the Dutch built a dyke that cuts the river off from its eastern (northern) branch and connects Zuid-Beveland with the mainland (North Brabant). Today the river continues into the Westerschelde estuary only, passing Terneuzen to reach the North Sea between Breskens in Zeelandic Flanders and Vlissingen (Flushing) on Walcheren.[citation needed]

The Scheldt is an important waterway, and has been made navigable from its mouth up to Cambrai. Above Cambrai, the Canal de Saint-Quentin follows its course. The port of Antwerp, the second-largest in Europe, developed on its banks. Several canals (including the Albert Canal) connect the Scheldt with the basins of the Rhine, Meuse, and Seine rivers, and with the industrial areas around Brussels, Liège, Lille, Dunkirk, and Mons.[citation needed]

The Scheldt flows through the following departments of France, provinces of Belgium, provinces of the Netherlands, and towns:[citation needed]

History

 
The Scheldt at Antwerp, photochrom, ca. 1890-1900
 
"View of Antwerp with the frozen Scheldt" (1590) by Lucas van Valckenborch
 
U.S. President Harry S. Truman and Secretary of State James F. Byrnes wave at HMS Hambledon while on board the USS Augusta on the river Scheldt as they head to the Potsdam Conference on 15 July 1945
 
Aerial view of the Scheldt estuary, looking toward Antwerp from the northwest

The Scheldt estuary has always had considerable commercial and strategic importance. Called Scaldis in Roman times, it was important for the shipping lanes to Roman Britain. Nehalennia was venerated at its mouth. The Franks took control over the region about the year 260 and at first interfered with the Roman supply routes as pirates. Later they became allies of the Romans. With the various divisions of the Frankish Empire in the 9th century, the Scheldt eventually became the border between the Western and Eastern parts of the Empire, which later became France and the Holy Roman Empire.[citation needed]

This status quo remained intact, at least on paper, until 1528, but by then, both the County of Flanders on the western bank and Zeeland and the Duchy of Brabant on the east were part of the Habsburg possessions of the Seventeen Provinces. Antwerp was the most prominent harbour in Western Europe. After this city fell back under Spanish control in 1585, the Dutch Republic took control of Zeelandic Flanders, a strip of land on the left bank, and closed the Scheldt for shipping. That shifted the trade to the ports of Amsterdam and Middelburg and seriously crippled Antwerp, an important and traumatic element in the history of relations between the Netherlands and what was to become Belgium.[citation needed]

Access to the river was the subject of the brief Kettle War of 1784, and during the French Revolution shortly afterwards, the river was reopened in 1792. Once Belgium had claimed its independence from the Netherlands in 1830, the treaty of the Scheldt determined that the river should remain accessible to ships heading for Belgian ports. Nevertheless, the Dutch government would demand a toll from passing vessels until 16 July 1863.[5]

The Question of the Scheldt, a study providing "a history of the international legal arrangements governing the Western Scheldt", was prepared for the use of British negotiators at the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.[6]

In the Second World War, the Scheldt estuary once again became a contested area. Despite Allied control of Antwerp, German forces still occupied fortified positions in September 1944 throughout the Scheldt estuary west and north, preventing any Allied shipping from reaching the port. In the Battle of the Scheldt, the Canadian First Army successfully cleared the area, allowing supply convoys direct access to the port of Antwerp by November 1944.[7]

Tributaries and sub-tributaries

 
The Scheldt in Antwerp at sunset

Navigation

 
The navigable river Escaut/Scheldt from Cambrai to the North Sea (from European Waterways Map and Directory, 5th edition)

Canalisation from Cambrai down to Valenciennes was completed in 1788. Napoleon saw the benefits of linking Paris to Belgium and accelerated completion of the Canal de Saint-Quentin to the south. The locks were deepened and doubled, as coal became the essential commodity of the industrial revolution. Upgrading downstream from Bouchain was started in the 1960s in both France and Flanders, but the waterway is still not fully compliant with European standards. All the locks on the high-capacity section are being doubled by European Class Vb size locks, 185 by 12 m (607 by 39 ft), as part of the overall European Seine-Scheldt waterway project.[9] The Pont des Trous, a listed fortified bridge in Tournai that has already been substantially modified, will again be raised to provide the necessary dimensions, including an air draught of 7.10 m (23 ft 4 in).[citation needed]

The 13 km section between Cambrai (connection with Canal de Saint-Quentin) and Hordain (connection with Canal de la Sensée) is only navigable for small ships (péniche) and has 5 locks.[10]

In culture

Traditions says that Saint Amalberga of Temse crossed the river in Temse on the back of a big Sturgeon.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Schorren van de Beneden Schelde". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Westerschelde & Saeftinghe". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Vallées de la Scarpe et de l'Escaut". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  4. ^ "VNSC Communicatie : vraagbaak voor alles op, rond en in de Schelde" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  5. ^ "Avalon Project - Belgian-American Diplomacy - Convention for the Extinguishment of the Scheldt Dues: July 20, 1863". avalon.law.yale.edu. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
  6. ^ Prothero, G W (1920). Question of the Scheldt. Peace handbooks. London: H.M. Stationery Office. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  7. ^ Zuehlke, Mark (2009). Terrible Victory: First Canadian Army and the Scheldt Estuary Campaign: September 13 - November 6, 1944. Douglas & McIntyre. p. 460. ISBN 978-1771620307.
  8. ^ a b c d Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - L'Escaut Canalisée (E---004-)".
  9. ^ Edwards-May, David (2010). Inland Waterways of France. St Ives, Cambs., UK: Imray. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-846230-14-1.
  10. ^ Fluviacarte, Escaut (à petit gabarit)

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Scheldt.
  • Water basin of the Scheldt
  • www.scheldenet.nl
  • ScheldeMonitor; Research studies and monitoring activities
  • Deltaworks; Flood protection works in Scheldt Delta
  • International Scheldt Commission
  • Scaldit - Interreg IV B NWE project for a safer and cleaner Scheldt River Basin District (FR - BE (Walloon Region - Brussels Cap. Region - Flemish Region) - NL)
  • Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law Peace Palace Library
  • River Escaut with maps and details of places, ports and moorings, by the author of Inland Waterways of France, Imray
  • Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals (French waterways website section)
  •   Texts on Wikisource:

July 24, 2023
scheldt, schelde, redirects, here, other, uses, schelde, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sour. Schelde redirects here For other uses see Schelde disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Scheldt news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Scheldt ʃ ɛ l t s k ɛ l t SHELT SKELT French Escaut ɛsko Dutch Schelde ˈsxɛlde listen is a 435 kilometre long 270 mi 4 river that flows through northern France western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands with its mouth at the North Sea Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old English sceald shallow Modern English shoal Low German schol West Frisian skol and obsolete Swedish skall thin citation needed ScheldtThe Scheldt in AntwerpCourse of the ScheldtShow map of FranceShow map of BelgiumShow map of NetherlandsNative nameEscaut French Schelde Dutch LocationCountriesFranceBelgiumNetherlandsPhysical characteristicsSource locationFrance elevation97 m 318 ft Mouth locationNorth Sea coordinates51 25 51 N 3 31 44 E 51 43083 N 3 52889 E 51 43083 3 52889Length360 km 220 mi Basin size21 863 km2 8 441 sq mi Discharge average104 m3 s 3 700 cu ft s Ramsar WetlandOfficial nameSchorren van de Beneden ScheldeDesignated4 March 1986Reference no 327 1 Ramsar WetlandOfficial nameWesterschelde amp SaeftingheDesignated9 April 1995Reference no 748 2 Ramsar WetlandOfficial nameVallees de la Scarpe et de l EscautDesignated2 February 2020Reference no 2405 3 Contents 1 Course 2 History 3 Tributaries and sub tributaries 4 Navigation 5 In culture 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksCourse EditThe headwaters of the Scheldt are in Gouy in the Aisne department of northern France It flows north through Cambrai and Valenciennes and enters Belgium near Tournai Ghent developed at the confluence of the Lys one of its main tributaries and the Scheldt which then turns east Near Antwerp the largest city on its banks the Scheldt flows west into the Netherlands toward the North Sea citation needed Originally there were two branches from that point the Oosterschelde Eastern Scheldt and the Westerschelde Western Scheldt In the 19th century however the Dutch built a dyke that cuts the river off from its eastern northern branch and connects Zuid Beveland with the mainland North Brabant Today the river continues into the Westerschelde estuary only passing Terneuzen to reach the North Sea between Breskens in Zeelandic Flanders and Vlissingen Flushing on Walcheren citation needed The Scheldt is an important waterway and has been made navigable from its mouth up to Cambrai Above Cambrai the Canal de Saint Quentin follows its course The port of Antwerp the second largest in Europe developed on its banks Several canals including the Albert Canal connect the Scheldt with the basins of the Rhine Meuse and Seine rivers and with the industrial areas around Brussels Liege Lille Dunkirk and Mons citation needed The Scheldt flows through the following departments of France provinces of Belgium provinces of the Netherlands and towns citation needed Aisne F Gouy Nord F Cambrai Denain Valenciennes Hainaut B Tournai West Flanders B Avelgem East Flanders B Oudenaarde Ghent Dendermonde Temse Antwerp B Antwerp Zeeland NL Hulst Terneuzen Sluis VlissingenHistory Edit The Scheldt at Antwerp photochrom ca 1890 1900 View of Antwerp with the frozen Scheldt 1590 by Lucas van Valckenborch U S President Harry S Truman and Secretary of State James F Byrnes wave at HMS Hambledon while on board the USS Augusta on the river Scheldt as they head to the Potsdam Conference on 15 July 1945 Aerial view of the Scheldt estuary looking toward Antwerp from the northwestThe Scheldt estuary has always had considerable commercial and strategic importance Called Scaldis in Roman times it was important for the shipping lanes to Roman Britain Nehalennia was venerated at its mouth The Franks took control over the region about the year 260 and at first interfered with the Roman supply routes as pirates Later they became allies of the Romans With the various divisions of the Frankish Empire in the 9th century the Scheldt eventually became the border between the Western and Eastern parts of the Empire which later became France and the Holy Roman Empire citation needed This status quo remained intact at least on paper until 1528 but by then both the County of Flanders on the western bank and Zeeland and the Duchy of Brabant on the east were part of the Habsburg possessions of the Seventeen Provinces Antwerp was the most prominent harbour in Western Europe After this city fell back under Spanish control in 1585 the Dutch Republic took control of Zeelandic Flanders a strip of land on the left bank and closed the Scheldt for shipping That shifted the trade to the ports of Amsterdam and Middelburg and seriously crippled Antwerp an important and traumatic element in the history of relations between the Netherlands and what was to become Belgium citation needed Access to the river was the subject of the brief Kettle War of 1784 and during the French Revolution shortly afterwards the river was reopened in 1792 Once Belgium had claimed its independence from the Netherlands in 1830 the treaty of the Scheldt determined that the river should remain accessible to ships heading for Belgian ports Nevertheless the Dutch government would demand a toll from passing vessels until 16 July 1863 5 The Question of the Scheldt a study providing a history of the international legal arrangements governing the Western Scheldt was prepared for the use of British negotiators at the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 6 In the Second World War the Scheldt estuary once again became a contested area Despite Allied control of Antwerp German forces still occupied fortified positions in September 1944 throughout the Scheldt estuary west and north preventing any Allied shipping from reaching the port In the Battle of the Scheldt the Canadian First Army successfully cleared the area allowing supply convoys direct access to the port of Antwerp by November 1944 7 Tributaries and sub tributaries Edit The Scheldt in Antwerp at sunsetWestern Scheldt or Honte Vlissingen Schijn Antwerp Rupel Rupelmonde Nete Rumst Kleine Nete Lier Aa Grobbendonk Wamp Kasterlee Grote Nete Lier Wimp Herenthout Molse Nete Geel Laak Westerlo Dijle Rumst Zenne Mechelen Maalbeek Grimbergen Woluwe Vilvoorde Maalbeek Schaerbeek Molenbeek Brussels Laeken Neerpedebeek Anderlecht Neerpede Zuun Sint Pieters Leeuw Zuun Geleytsbeek Drogenbos Linkebeek Drogenbos Molenbeek Lot Senette Tubize Hain Tubize Samme Braine le Comte Ronquieres Thines Nivelles Vrouwvliet Mechelen further upstream named Grote Beek Meerloop Raambeek Zwartwaterbeek Boeimeer Demer Rotselaar Velp Halen Gete Halen Herk Halen Melsterbeek Herk de Stad Grote Gete Zoutleeuw Kleine Gete Zoutleeuw Voer Leuven IJse Huldenberg Neerijse Nethen Grez Doiceau Nethen Laan nl Huldenberg Terlanen Sint Agatha Rode Zilverbeek Rixensart Genval Thyle Ottignies Louvain la Neuve Durme Temse Molenbeek Wichelen Dender Dendermonde Mark Lessines Twee Akren Ruisseau d Ancre Lessines Zulle Ath Eastern Dender Ath Western Dender Ath Molenbeek Ter Erpenbeek Hofstade Lys Leie Ghent Mandel Wielsbeke Heulebeek Kuurne Gaverbeek Kortrijk Douve Comines Warneton Deule Deule or Feule Deulemont Marque Wasquehal Souchez Lens Carency Souchez Saint Nazaire Souchez Laquette Aire sur la Lys Lawe De Gorge Stegers Brette Biette Blanche ruisseau de Caucourt fosse d Avesnes Loisne Clarence Meregem Nave Grand Nocq Becque de Steenwerk Zwalm Zwalm Rone Kluisbergen Rhosne Ronse Scarpe Mortagne du Nord 8 Crinchon Ugy Haine Conde sur l Escaut Trouille Mons Jeumont Hogneau of Honneau Conde sur l Escaut Honelle Quievrain Aunelle Grande Honelle Petite Honelle Rhonelle Valenciennes Ecaillon Thiant 8 Selle Denain 8 Torrent d Esnes Sensee Bouchain 8 Hirondelle Erclin Iwuy Eauette Marcoing Navigation Edit The navigable river Escaut Scheldt from Cambrai to the North Sea from European Waterways Map and Directory 5th edition Canalisation from Cambrai down to Valenciennes was completed in 1788 Napoleon saw the benefits of linking Paris to Belgium and accelerated completion of the Canal de Saint Quentin to the south The locks were deepened and doubled as coal became the essential commodity of the industrial revolution Upgrading downstream from Bouchain was started in the 1960s in both France and Flanders but the waterway is still not fully compliant with European standards All the locks on the high capacity section are being doubled by European Class Vb size locks 185 by 12 m 607 by 39 ft as part of the overall European Seine Scheldt waterway project 9 The Pont des Trous a listed fortified bridge in Tournai that has already been substantially modified will again be raised to provide the necessary dimensions including an air draught of 7 10 m 23 ft 4 in citation needed The 13 km section between Cambrai connection with Canal de Saint Quentin and Hordain connection with Canal de la Sensee is only navigable for small ships peniche and has 5 locks 10 In culture EditTraditions says that Saint Amalberga of Temse crossed the river in Temse on the back of a big Sturgeon citation needed See also EditScheldt Rhine Canal Striene which was the main stem of the river until 1421 it flowed northwards References Edit Schorren van de Beneden Schelde Ramsar Sites Information Service Retrieved 25 April 2018 Westerschelde amp Saeftinghe Ramsar Sites Information Service Retrieved 25 April 2018 Vallees de la Scarpe et de l Escaut Ramsar Sites Information Service Retrieved 3 February 2020 VNSC Communicatie vraagbaak voor alles op rond en in de Schelde in Dutch Retrieved 2014 06 03 Avalon Project Belgian American Diplomacy Convention for the Extinguishment of the Scheldt Dues July 20 1863 avalon law yale edu Retrieved 2023 05 18 Prothero G W 1920 Question of the Scheldt Peace handbooks London H M Stationery Office Retrieved 2014 06 03 Zuehlke Mark 2009 Terrible Victory First Canadian Army and the Scheldt Estuary Campaign September 13 November 6 1944 Douglas amp McIntyre p 460 ISBN 978 1771620307 a b c d Sandre Fiche cours d eau L Escaut Canalisee E 004 Edwards May David 2010 Inland Waterways of France St Ives Cambs UK Imray p 84 ISBN 978 1 846230 14 1 Fluviacarte Escaut a petit gabarit External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Scheldt Water basin of the Scheldt www scheldenet nl ScheldeMonitor Research studies and monitoring activities Deltaworks Flood protection works in Scheldt Delta International Scheldt Commission Scaldit Interreg IV B NWE project for a safer and cleaner Scheldt River Basin District FR BE Walloon Region Brussels Cap Region Flemish Region NL Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law Peace Palace Library River Escaut with maps and details of places ports and moorings by the author of Inland Waterways of France Imray Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals French waterways website section Texts on Wikisource Scheldt Collier s New Encyclopedia 1921 Scheldt Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed 1911 Scheldt The Nuttall Encyclopaedia 1907 Paget Tyrell Memorandum of August 7 1916 Section 6 Belgium and the Scheldt Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scheldt amp oldid 1155477908, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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