Noord (river)

The North is a nine -kilometer section of the main shipping route from the Rhine to the North Sea at Rotterdam in South Holland. In Dordrecht, the branching from the Beneden Merwede river Waal ( "Lower Merwede " ) bifurcates into the flowing westward Oude Maas and the northward flowing North. The west bank of the Noord part of the island IJsselmonde, her eastern shore to the island Alblasserwaard. Finally, together with the coming from the east flowing, almost equal branch of the Rhine Lek at Ridderkerk the Nieuwe Maas.

The generally northern direction of flow can at low water conditions on the Rhine change through the influence of the tides. When Hendrik -Ido- Ambacht the waterway in Rietbaan branches and parallel to the North. In between lies the island Sophie polders. There are several scrapping at the Rietbaan. There used to be along the Noord many yards.

The North flows through an almost continuous urban landscape in the southeast of the metropolitan area of Rotterdam, consisting of the towns of Zwijndrecht, Hendrik -Ido- Ambacht, Papendrecht, Alblasserdam, Kinderdijk and Ridderkerk.

As part of the kingdom Infrastructure Plan from 1927 was built in 1939 at Alblasserdam during the Rijksweg 15 the bridge over the North. Since 1992, a tunnel passes under the North, the old bridge is only local traffic. Between Alblasserdam Papendrecht and the railway line Betuwelinie runs Sophie tunnel under the North, the Sophie polders and the Rietbaan through. With ramps he is eight kilometers long.