- Lek River
Geobox River
name = Lek
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
image_size = 220
image_caption = The Lek River nearJaarsveld .
country = The Netherlands
country1 =
state = Utrecht
state1 = South Holland
region =
region1 =
district =
district1 =
city =
city1 =
length = 62
watershed =
discharge_location =
discharge_average =
discharge_max =
discharge_min =
discharge1_location =
discharge1_average =
source_name = Nederrijn
source_location = Wijk bij Duurstede
source_district =
source_region =
source_state = Utrecht
source_country =
source_lat_d =
source_lat_m =
source_lat_s =
source_lat_NS =
source_long_d =
source_long_m =
source_long_s =
source_long_EW =
source_elevation =
source_length =
mouth_name = Nieuwe Maas
mouth_location = Kinderdijk
mouth_district =
mouth_region =
mouth_state = South Holland
mouth_country =
mouth_lat_d =
mouth_lat_m =
mouth_lat_s =
mouth_lat_NS =
mouth_long_d =
mouth_long_m =
mouth_long_s =
mouth_long_EW =
mouth_elevation =
tributary_left =
tributary_left1 =
tributary_right =
tributary_right1 =
free_name =
free_value =
map_size = 220
map_caption = Location of Lek in dark blue.The Lek is a
river in the westernNetherlands of some 60 km in length. It is the continuation of theNederrijn after theKromme Rijn branches off at the town ofWijk bij Duurstede . The main westboundwaterway is hereafter called Lek River. The Nederrijn in turn is adistributary branch of riverRhine .The name "Lek" is derived from the
Middle Dutch words "lake" and "leek", meaning "watercourse". [ [http://www.filatop.nl/content/view/79/67/ Uitgeverij Filatop - Nieuw Lekkerland] ]Portions of the river form the boundary between the provinces of Utrecht and Gelderland, and between Utrecht and South Holland.
In Roman times, the Nederrijn flowed into the Kromme Rijn and these streams were the main outflow of the river Rhine. When the Kromme Rijn began to silt up in the Middle Ages, the Lek became the primary branch. A short distance past Wijk bij Duurstede, the river intersects with the
Amsterdam-Rhine Canal , which continues south towards theWaal . A branch of this canal, the "Lekkanaal" (Lek Canal) is connected to the river at the town ofNieuwegein .Other major towns on its banks are
Culemborg ,Vianen ,Schoonhoven ,Nieuw-Lekkerland andLekkerkerk . The bed of the river lies slightly higher than the surrounding lands and dikes are therefore essential to contain the Lek. At the village ofKinderdijk the Lek meets theNoord River and the combined stream is thereafter known as theNieuwe Maas as it flows down towards theNorth Sea .References
External links
* [http://imageofholland.filternet.nl/Lek/lekframe.htm Pictures of the river Lek]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.