Dollart

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The Dollart is a bay partly in the Netherlands and partly in Germany, on the west side of the estuary of the Ems river in 1277. Most of it dries at low tide. Many water birds feed there.

The Dollart was likely created between 1219 and 1413, by the rising waterlevel and some floods. However, in the beginning that wasn't a real problem. The land was protected by dikes. But in the battle between the schieringers and vetkopers some dikes were attacked. Some historians think that those dikes collapsed in 1413 and overflowed the land (Reiderland). In 1520 the Dollart had its largest surface. Between then and the 19th century, the Dollart had partly been re-empoldered again.

Nowadays it's a paradise for all kinds of birds and other animals that live around water. The foundation of protecting and examining the landscape of Groningen, Het Groninger Landschap, organises excursions to the Dollart around 3 times a year.