Juliana Canal

Template: Infobox River / GKZ_fehlt

The Juliana Canal ( Dutch spelling: Julianakanaal ) is a man-made waterway in the Dutch province of Limburg. The 36 km long canal runs between Limmel at Maastricht and Maas Bracht in the community Maasgouw practically parallel to one since 1822nicht more navigable part of the river Meuse, the so-called Grensmaas, so he is a so-called side-channel.

Description

From Borg Haren in Maastricht until shortly before Maasbracht the Meuse forms the border between the Netherlands and Belgium. The Grensmaas is not navigable. To overcome this obstacle to traffic Built 1925-1935 the Juliana.

To cope with the height difference of 23.60 meters on the total distance, has the channel in Limmel, Born and Maasbracht three locks. The lock in Maasbracht is with a height of 11.85 meters, the Dutch sluice with the largest With an elevation difference.

Another fourth lock step was to 1965 in Roosteren. Conversions at the locks in Born and Maasbracht and a widening of the channel between Born and Maasbracht while increasing the dikes allowed a razing of the lock at Roosteren.

The water level of the channel is sometimes considerably above the general ground level of the regions crossed. In Elsloo the canal runs through the old center, he had to give more than 40 houses.

History

In 1908 consideration was given to produce by channeling the river Meuse between Maastricht and even Maasbracht a waterway between Maasbracht and Maastricht. Since Belgium did not agree with the project and also six locks would have been necessary in this regard is rejected plans. It turned out more feasible to build a completely new waterway between Maastricht and Maas Bracht near the Meuse. The decision to build was made in 1921, the first sod -actuated Princess Juliana on 23 October 1925. Princess Juliana turn gave on the artificial waterway on September 16, 1935 formally opened for traffic.

On 27 January 2004, the channel made ​​headlines. An even originating from the construction of the waterway and pressurized water pipe had become leaky and had undermined the dike near the village stone. There was a danger of a dam break, and thus the flooding of the village.

As part of a planned expansion of its Maas for larger barges also an extension of the waterway is configured. By foreseen for the period from late 2010 to 2017 conversion work, it should be possible that 190 m can long and 11 ply 4 m wide vessels with a draft of 3.5 m, and thus also a pushed convoy with two barges, the Juliana. For this purpose, in places, the channel up to 15 m to widen and the water level to increase by 25 cm.

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