Meppelerdiep
The Meppelerdiep is a canal in the Dutch provinces of Drenthe and Overijssel . The canal runs from Meppel to Zwartsluis . It has a length of 10 km. The Meppelerdiep connects the Drentsche Hoofdvaart and the Hoogeveense Vaart with the former Zuiderzee , with the last stretch over the Zwarte Water , which flows into the Zuiderzee at Genemuiden .
Originally the Meppelerdiep was a natural river and was called Sethe . Over time, the river has been dredged and straightened several times. This straightening was necessary to enable the transport of the peat , which was an important fuel up until the 19th century. Meppel and Zwartsluis were important transshipment points for peat that was shipped from here to Holland . However, due to the peat extraction, the Meppelerdiep was exposed to higher water inflows.
Web links
- Meppelerdiep In: Rijkswaterstaat (Dutch)