| 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 | RiverBoven 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 |
TheWaal (Dutch name,pronounced[ʋaːl]ⓘ) is the maindistributary branch of the riverRhine flowing approximately 80 km (50 mi) through theNetherlands. It is the major waterway connecting the port ofRotterdam toGermany. Before it reaches Rotterdam, it joins with theAfgedamde Maas nearWoudrichem to form theBoven Merwede. Along its length,Nijmegen,Tiel,Zaltbommel andGorinchem are towns of importance with direct access to the river.
The river, which is the main channel in theRhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta system, carries 65% of the total flow of the Rhine.
The name Waal, inRoman times calledVacalis, Vahalis orValis, laterVahal, is ofGermanic origin and is named after the manymeanders in the river (West Germanic languages:wôh,lit. 'crooked'). It is, in turn, thought to have inspired early Dutchsettlers of theHudson Valley region inNew York to name theWallkill River after it (Waalkil "WaalCreek").
The current river shows little signs of these great bends, since it has been the subject of numerous normalisation projects carried out between the 18th 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.
In theMiddle Ages, the name "Waal" continued after the confluence with theMeuse. The delta parts now known as Boven Merwede,Beneden Merwede and the upper section of theNoord were also called Waal. NearHendrik-Ido-Ambacht, the mainstream continued west until it flowed intoOude Maas nearHeerjansdam. This last stretch past Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, which separated theriver islands ofIJsselmonde andZwijndrechtse Waard, is still called Waal,[1] but is more commonly known asWaaltje (Dutch forLittle Waal). It has been dammed off at both ends, making the Zwijndrechtse Waard part of IJsselmonde.
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The Waal has significant adverse water quality due to discharge of rawsewage byFrance andGermany. A number of pathogens have been monitored to occur in the river waters from such sewage.[9]
Media related toWaal at Wikimedia Commons51°53′30″N5°31′15″E / 51.891749°N 5.520716°E /51.891749; 5.520716
