Dredging

Dredging involves removing silt from the bottom of ditches so that the water is clean and deep enough again. We will soon begin dredging waterways in Opsterland. The work will take place in the following villages: Nij Beets, Tijnje, Luxwoude, Langezwaag, Lippenhuizen, Beetsterzwaag, Drachten A7, Ureterp, Wijnjewoude, Bakkeveen, Terwispel, and Gorredijk.

Dredging Operations in Action

What are we going to do?

We remove silt (mud) from the bottom of the waterways. This allows us to restore the waterways to their proper depth. Before we start dredging, we first remove reeds from the water. We do this by raking. Then we remove the silt. In some places, we deposit the silt on the land next to the waterway. Most of it goes to a temporary storage site (depot) on Badweg in Gorredijk. Once the silt has dried there, we remove it from the depot. We then reseed the areas where the silt was spread with grass.

Why are we doing this?

Wetterskip Fryslân is taking over management of a number of waterways in the municipality. This is known as the Urban Water Transfer (OSW). Before Wetterskip takes over management, the waterways must be at the correct depth. That is why we are dredging. We are also using this opportunity to address overdue maintenance in other waterways. This is particularly the case in Gorredijk.

Planning

We are currently in the process of selecting a contractor. We expect to have a contractor in place by July. After that, we will begin the initial dredging work in mid-August. Starting in late August or early September, we will begin constructing the sludge depot in Gorredijk. Most of the dredging work is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Work in Gorredijk will continue until February 2027. Once the sludge has dried, we will remove the depot in the summer of 2027.

Accessibility

You may experience some inconvenience during the work. This will mainly affect parks and green spaces near the water. The roads will remain open so that traffic can continue to flow. For safety reasons, we may occasionally close some sidewalks.

Construction App

The contractor will be using the BouwApp. This app lets you see when work is taking place in your neighborhood. You can also use the app to ask questions or submit comments.

Questions? 

Do you have any questions? If so, please contact Gerrit van Oene at the Municipality of Opsterland at gerrit.van.oene@opsterland.nl.