|This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2012)|
Nederrijn near Arnhem
|- location||Huissen, Gelderland, Netherlands|
|- location||Wijk bij Duurstede, Utrecht, Netherlands|
|Length||50 km (31 mi)|
Nederrijn ("Lower Rhine" or "Nether Rhine") is the name of the Dutch part of the River Rhine from the confluence at the town of Angeren of the cut-off Rhine bend of Oude Rijn and the Pannerdens Kanaal (which was dug to form the new connection between the Waal and Nederrijn branches). The city of Arnhem lies on the right (north) bank of the river Nederrijn, just past the point where the River IJssel branches off. The Nederrijn flows on to the city of Wijk bij Duurstede, from where it continues as the River Lek. The once-important but now small Kromme Rijn branch (in Roman times part of the Limes Germanicus and border river of the Roman Empire) carries the name "Rhine" towards the city of Utrecht.
In order to regulate the distribution of drainage between the different branches of the Rhine, several dams have been constructed. If the dams are closed, there is little flow in the Lower Rhine and most of the water drained by the IJssel.
In 1530, the Rhine near Arnhem was moved, a project that was completed in 1536. The city, which originated along the St. Jansbeek ("St. John's Brook'), could develop better now that it was closer the river, and was also more easily defended against the Spanish threat.