geo.wikisort.org - River

The Waal (Dutch name, pronounced [ʋaːl]) is the main distributary branch of the river Rhine flowing approximately 80 km (50 mi) through the Netherlands. It is the major waterway connecting the port of Rotterdam to Germany. Before it reaches Rotterdam, it joins with the Afgedamde Maas near Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede. Along its length, Nijmegen, Tiel, Zaltbommel and Gorinchem are towns of importance with direct access to the river.

This article relies too much on references to primary sources. (March 2012)

Waal
Location of river Waal in dark blue.
Location
Country	Netherlands
State	Gelderland
Region	Betuwe, Rijk van Nijmegen, Land van Maas en Waal, Land van Altena
Cities	Nijmegen, Tiel, Zaltbommel, Gorinchem
Physical characteristics
Source	Rhine
• location	Millingen aan de Rijn, Gelderland, Netherlands
Mouth	River Boven Merwede
• location	Gorinchem, Gelderland/South Holland, Netherlands
Length	80 km (50 mi)
Discharge
• average	1,500 m3/s (53,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• right	Linge

The river, which is the main channel in the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta system, carries 65% of the total flow of the Rhine.

History

The name Waal, in Roman times called Vacalis, Vahalis or Valis, later Vahal, is of Germanic origin and is named after the many meanders in the river (West Germanic languages: wôh, lit. 'crooked'). It is, in turn, thought to have inspired early Dutch settlers of the Hudson Valley region in New York to name the Wallkill River after it (Waalkil "Waal Creek").

The current river shows little signs of these great bends, since the river has been the subject of numerous normalisation projects carried out in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries to improve the river as an economically important shipping route. Some of the cut-off bends are still visible near the main river and are sometimes reconnected to it in times of high water levels.

Bend in South Holland

In the Middle Ages, the name "Waal" continued after the confluence with the Meuse. The delta parts now known as Boven Merwede, Beneden Merwede and the upper section of the Noord were also called Waal. Near Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, the mainstream continued west until it flowed into Oude Maas near Heerjansdam. This last stretch past Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, which separated the river islands of IJsselmonde and Zwijndrechtse Waard, still is called Waal,[1] but is more commonly known as Waaltje (Dutch for Little Waal). It has been dammed off at both ends, making the Zwijndrechtse Waard part of IJsselmonde.

River crossings

Railroad bridges

Railroad bridges (with nearest train station on the left and right bank):

• between Nijmegen and Nijmegen Lent
• between Zaltbommel and Geldermalsen

Water quality

The Waal has significant adverse water quality due to discharge of raw sewage by France and Germany. A number of pathogens have been monitored to occur in the river waters from such sewage.[2]

References

External links

• Media related to Waal at Wikimedia Commons

На других языках

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[de] Waal (Fluss)

Die Waal (lateinisch Vahalis, älter Vacalus, aus keltisch Vocalus) ist der südliche und breitere der beiden großen Mündungsarme des Rheins in die Nordsee. Zusammen mit der Maas bildet sie das in den Niederlanden gelegene Rhein-Maas-Delta.

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- [en] Waal (river)

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[es] Waal

El río Waal es un río neerlandés. En realidad es un brazo del río Rin, que se divide a la altura de Pannerden en dos brazos: el brazo norte, el canal de Pannerden (y que desde Doornenburg hasta Wijk bij Duurstede se conoce como el Bajo Rin, y a partir de Wijk bij Duurstede se conoce como Lek); y el brazo sur, que es el río Waal. De ambos brazos, el Waal es el de mayor caudal (dos tercios del total) y el más usado para la navegación fluvial.

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[it] Waal (fiume)

Il fiume Waal è la principale diramazione del fiume Reno e scorre dalla zona centrale dei Paesi Bassi per circa 80 km, prima di unirsi, presso Woudrichem, al tratto della Mosa chiamato Afgedamde Maas per formare il Boven Merwede. È un importante fiume che costituisce la principale arteria navigabile tra il porto di Rotterdam e la Germania. Nimega, Tiel, Zaltbommel e Gorinchem sono importanti città che hanno un accesso diretto al fiume. Nel fiume si riversa il 65% della portata totale del Reno.

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[ru] Ваал (река)

Ваа́л[1] (нидерл. Waal, Вал[2]) — река в Нидерландах, основной рукав Рейна в его дельте, через который идёт 65 % общего стока реки. Ваал, длина которого составляет 84 км, является одним из основных водных путей, связывающих Роттердам с Германией.

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