Dommel

The Dommel is a small river in Belgium and the Netherlands that is a tributary of the Dieze on the left bank. It is 120 kilometers long, with 85 kilometers in the Netherlands. The Dommel receives water from the Keersop, Tongelreep, Run, Gender, and Kleine Dommel streams before joining the Aa at's-Hertogenbosch to form the Dieze, which flows into the Meuse. Peer, Neerpelt, Valkenswaard, Dommelen, Eindhoven, Son en Breugel, Sint-Oedenrode, Boxtel, Sint-Michielsgestel, and 's-Hertogenbosch are the main cities and towns along the Dommel's course.

Nowadays, the Dommel appears to be a brook, but it has many geographical features that only larger rivers have. These are the valley widths and large meanders left over from the Last Glacial Period. There was once talk of the Romans navigating the Dommel. Later, as the nearby forests were cut down, the river became shallower and began to meander.

A water board (Waterschap) for the Dommel was established in 1863. It was in charge of all municipalities along the Dommel's course. One of its initial goals was to prevent flooding, particularly between 's-Hertogenbosch and Boxtel. It hoped to canalize the same stretch and improve its navigability if possible, but this would necessitate the construction of a lock. Around 1865, the water board diverted the Dommel through the western city moat of 's-Hertogenbosch and installed a sluice in the Dieze's left dyke.

Length: 120 km (75 mi- shared with the Netherlands)