The Zandkreek Dam is the first dam of the Delta Works and the first Delta Work in Zeeland to be completed, shortly after the construction of the Hollandsche IJsselkering.
The dam is located in the tidal inlet of the Zandkreek and connects Noord-Beveland and Zuid-Beveland. Together with the Delta Work, the Lake Veere Dam, and the already existing Sloe Dam, the Zandkreek Dam closes off Lake Veere. This significantly shortened the coastline of the Zeeland islands.
The Zandkreek Dam was part of the Three-Islands Plan, which aimed to connect Walcheren with Noord- and Zuid-Beveland. Variants of this plan existed long before the 1953 North Sea flood disaster. After the disaster, the Three-Islands Plan was revived in the fourth advisory report of the Delta Committee. The goal was to shorten the coastline, making it easier to protect than the many kilometers of dikes, and also cheaper than raising dikes everywhere. As a bonus, roads over the dams would better connect the islands.
The Zandkreek Dam was constructed first, not directly on the North Sea, but as a necessary preparation for the Lake Veere Dam and the (then-planned) closure of the Eastern Scheldt. If either of those two had been built first, the tidal currents would likely have become so strong that they would erode the seabed. A moving, deeper seabed would have posed a problem for closing off the next estuary. Therefore, the Zandkreek Dam was built precisely at the location where the tidal currents from the Eastern Scheldt and the Veerse Gat met: the "wantij" (the area where the currents converge). Additionally, the relatively short dam served as a good way to gain experience for the larger projects to come.
With the closure of the Veerse Gat (thus creating the Lake Veere), the fishing fleets from Veere and Arnemuiden moved to the sea harbor at Colijnsplaat. A lock was included in the Zandkreek Dam to allow maritime traffic through the Canal through Walcheren and recreational boating on the Lake Veere.
In 1969, the construction of the Zandkreek Dam began. Caissons were used for this project: large, hollow concrete structures that were first used during World War II. The Allies used them to create artificial quays at the invasion beaches in Normandy. They were later used in the closing of the dike breaches in Walcheren in 1945 and Ouwerkerk in 1953. The Watersnoodmuseum is located in one of these caissons!
The caissons of the Zandkreek Dam were not standard Phoenix caissons, but specially designed for the dam, ensuring they fit together precisely. To prevent them from drifting due to ebb or flood currents, sand and rubble were placed on both sides. The official opening of the Zandkreekdam took place on October 1, 1960.
A road was constructed over the dam, and a bridge was built over the sluice. However, this was not sufficient for traffic flow, as frequent traffic jams occurred whenever the bridge had to open for maritime traffic. In 2002, a second bridge was built, allowing only one bridge to open at a time.
After the closure of Lake Veere by the Lake Veere Dam, there was no more ebb and flow in Lake Veere. The water became brackish, a mixture of fresh and saltwater, causing several plant and animal species to disappear. In 2004, the Katse Heule was constructed in the Zandkreek Dam, named after the nearby village of Kats and the Zeeland word for water outlet: ‘heule’. A few caissons were removed, and an open connection was created between Lake Veere and the Eastern Scheldt. This allows more saltwater to enter the lake. If necessary, the sluices of the Katse Heule can be closed.
The entire area around Lake Veere was designed by landscape architect Nico de Jonge, focusing on tranquility, space, and respect for landscape and cultural-historical values. Lake Veere has primarily become a recreational area. Along its shores, there are several marinas, recreational grounds, and a surf school.
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