Waal

The southern arm of the Rhine, known as the Waal, flows past Nijmegen and continues broadly parallel to the Maas, a short distance to the south (connected by two canals; the Maas continues as the Bergse Maas and the Amer, and after its junction with the Nieuwe Merwede flows into the Hollands Diep). At Tiel the Waal is joined by the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, which provides a connection with the Lek. From the old outflow of the Maas into the Waal near Gorinchem the southern arm of the Rhine is known as the Merwede. At Dordrecht, where the Nieuwe Merwede branches off to flow into the Hollands Diep, the Merwede divides into the Noord (connection with the Lek) and the Oude Maas (Old Maas). The Oude Maas then flows south past Rotterdam and joins the Nieuwe Maas (Het Scheur) opposite Vlaardingen.