Scheldt

The Scheldt is a long river that stretches for about 435 kilometres, or 270 miles. It flows through three countries: northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. The river ends at the North Sea, where it meets the ocean.

The name "Scheldt" comes from an old word meaning "shallow." This name is similar to words in several languages, such as the old English word for shallow and modern words in Low German, West Frisian, and Swedish.

Course

The Scheldt River starts in Gouy in the Aisne area of northern France. It flows north through towns like Cambrai and Valenciennes, entering Belgium near Tournai. The river passes by Ghent, where one of its main tributaries, the Lys, joins it. Near the big city of Antwerp, the Scheldt turns west and flows into the Netherlands, finally reaching the North Sea.

In the past, the river had two branches: the Oosterschelde and the Westerschelde. But in the 1800s, the Dutch built a dyke that changed the river's path. Today, the Scheldt flows only through the Westerschelde estuary, passing Terneuzen before emptying into the North Sea between Breskens and Vlissingen. The river is an important waterway and helps connect many places through several canals, including the Scheldt-Rhine Canal and the Albert Canal.

History

The Scheldt estuary has always been very important for trade and strategy. In Roman times, it was called Scaldis and was key for travel to Roman Britain. Later, the Franks took control of the area and the Scheldt became the border between parts of the old Frankish Empire, which later became France and the Holy Roman Empire.

In more recent history, the river was closed to shipping for a time, shifting trade to other ports. It was reopened during the French Revolution. After Belgium became independent, the river stayed open for ships to Belgian ports, though a toll was charged until 1863.

During the Second World War, the Scheldt estuary was important again. German forces held positions there, blocking access to the port of Antwerp. In the Battle of the Scheldt, the Canadian First Army helped clear the area, allowing ships to reach Antwerp by November 1944.

Tributaries and sub-tributaries

The Scheldt River has many smaller rivers that flow into it, called tributaries. Important ones include the Western Scheldt or Honte, which flows through Vlissingen, and the Rupel, which passes through Rupelmonde. The Rupel has tributaries like the Nete, which goes through Rumst and includes smaller streams such as the Kleine Nete and Grote Nete. Other notable tributaries are the Dijle, which flows through Rumst and Mechelen, and the Demer, which runs through Rotselaar. The Lys or Leie flows through Ghent and has smaller streams like the Mandel and the Douve. The Dender, with tributaries such as the Mark and the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek, and the Scarpe, which flows through Mortagne-du-Nord, are also part of the Scheldt's network. Many other smaller streams and rivers join the Scheldt along its course.

Navigation

The Scheldt River has been an important path for boats for many years. Long ago, in 1788, people finished building a canal to help boats travel from Cambrai to Valenciennes. Later, Napoleon helped connect Paris to Belgium by finishing another canal. As industries grew, locks on the river were made bigger to let more ships pass through. Today, work continues to make the river easier for big ships to use, with new locks being built as part of a big plan to connect rivers across Europe. Some old bridges, like the Pont des Trous in Tournai, are being raised to give ships more space to pass underneath.