Merwede

The Merwede ( sometimes spelled Mervede ) is an underflow of the Waal, the southern Rheinarms in river delta in the Netherlands.

It forms the border between the provinces of South Holland and North Brabant. The Merwede is about 25 km long and navigable for all major inland waterway vessels and pushed convoys.

From Castle Loevestein at Woudrichem where before 1904 were made at Andel pinch the Meuse einmündete, it is called with Boven Merwede - ( "Upper Merwede " ) to Werkendam and from there to Dordrecht with Beneden Merwede - ( "Lower Merwede "). In Gorinchem flow from the north the Linge and the Merwede Canal, to the southwest branches at Werkendam the Nieuwe Merwede from which united at the level of the National Park de Biesbosch with Bergse Maas and the Hollands Diep and the Haring Vliet at Hellevoetsluis in the North Sea flows.

About the Merwede run down river from east to west, the following bridges:

• Merwedebrücke in Gorinchem ( A27 ) ( built 1959/1961 )
• Baanhoekbrücke ( railway Elst - Dordrecht ) ( built in 1885, renovated 1978-1983)
• Merwedebrücke Papendrecht (N3 ) ( built 1967)

Opposite of Dordrecht is the Noord connect to the north, to unite in Krimpen aan de Lek Lek with, a northern arm of the Rhine. Both flow through together as Nieuwe Maas and the Rotterdam port open via the New Waterway at Hoek van Holland in the North Sea. In Dordrecht also branches off to the west nor the Oude Maas from, which also flows into the Nieuwe Maas after 30 km in the Rotterdam port area, and to the south the Dordtse Kil, which in turn flows into the Hollands Diep.