Dendermonde not only owes its origins and its name to the confluence of Dender and Scheldt; the unique location on both rivers also played an important role in the city's prosperity. For centuries, Dendermonde was a real water town with harbours, skippers, fishermen and shippers (loaders and unloaders of ships).
Water: a blessing and a curse
However, its strategic location on the water not only brought prosperity, but also ensured that Dendermonde was often the scene of military conflicts throughout history. Another disadvantage of the location on the Scheldt and Dender was its sensitivity to flooding. To remedy this problem and to facilitate the passage of shipping, it was decided in 1967 to straighten part of the Dender route, so that the Dender would no longer flow into the Scheldt in the city center.
In 1978, a new Dender estuary with weir and tidal lock with lifting doors was built in the Sint-Onolfspolder. The Dender has been adapted here for ships up to 1,250 tons and the total length of the lock complex is approximately 500 meters. The old Dender estuary in the city center was filled in.
The towpaths along Dender and Scheldt are frequently used by walkers and cyclists. Thanks to an easy bank connection at the Tijsluis, recreationists can easily continue their trip along the water.
A cycling tour that visits the new Dender estuary is the cycling route 'Along slow roads between Dender and Scheldt'.