Channel of Espierres
The channel of Espierres is located in Belgium between the French border and the the Scheldt through the provinces of Hainaut and Flanders-Western.
The channel of Espierre was built of 1840 to 1843 in order to connect Deûle to the Scheldt. The goal of this channel was to supply out of water and coal: Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing. During more than one hundred years, the channel of Espierre contributed to the economic advancement of the area. The practice of fishing is done starting from Estaimpuis and Leers-North because water is better there. Today, no boat sails on the channel, the last passed in 1985.
Since September 8th, 2000, the channel is classified with the Walloon Inheritance.
In 1914, at the time of the First World War, the Germans, at once after their installation in the country, used the channel of Espierre for the transport of gravel of the Rhine like for other construction materials intended for military work on the face. During the five years of war, many tug boats furrowed the channel; navigation was very intense, 30 to 40 boats per day, which obliged the personnel to work seventeen hours per day without stop, of frequent patrols did not leave him any respite besides. The Germans moreover damaged or removed for their needs a thousand for trees growing on the dams.
From 1850, the important industrial rise of Roubaix and Tourcoing, caused serious damage with the channel. The affluents of Espierre were used by industry for the evacuation of waste water, they lost thus little by little their purity. The French authorities did not do anything to stop this pollution and contributed to worsen it. In 1872, one prohibits to reject waste water in the channel. This water was poured in the brook of Espierre beside the channel, which increased nearly 10 times its normal flow!
It forms part, with the Canal of Roubaix and the Marque channeled, of the Liaison the Deûle-Scheldt which will be reopened with the navigation of leisure in 2008 thanks to the work program Blue Links.
External bonds
- Site of the European programme of handing-over in navigation of the inland waterways of Deûle in the Scheldt.
- Personal site on the channel
- Saint-Leger and the channel of Espierres.
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