Clay pits in Vatrop - Den Oever

Vatrop is a fairly insignificant hamlet. Nevertheless, it plays an important role in the history of the battle against the water. To this day, for example, concrete parapets, part of the old storm surge barrier, can still be seen. Nowadays, however, there is a dyke at Delta height behind the storm surge barriers.

The area northwest of Vatrop was once a place where clay was extracted. The clay pits in Vatrop were essential for the construction of the Zuiderzee Works. The seabed proved to be too soft to support the heavy dykes. The original plan was simply to dump the dike on the existing subsoil. However, during the construction of the Korte Afsluitdijk, this technique proved to be inadequate. The heavy dike sank into the soft subsoil, as it were. It was a blessing in disguise, as this created the nature reserve at Van Ewijcksluis that we now know as “De Verzakking” (The Subsidence).

This subsidence meant the demise of several construction companies working on the dyke. To ensure that the work could continue, the MUZ (Maatschappij tot Uitvoering van de Zuiderzeewerken, Society for the Execution of the Zuiderzee Works) was established.

The solution to the problem of the subsiding dyke turned out to be the use of sea clay or boulder clay, raw materials that were available in abundance locally. The clay was extracted in Vatrop, among other places.

After clay extraction ceased, nature was restored here too. The Vatrop clay pit is now an important breeding and foraging area for wading birds. To ensure peace and quiet, the area is not freely accessible. However, a beautiful walking path has been created along the edge.

Photo: ©Kenneth Stamp, Municipality of Hollands Kroon