Marne (estuary)

The Marneslenk had its mouth on the Vlie and stretched southeasterly to the area of Tirns and then headed east to the Middelzee.

In the northwest end it broadened out between what is now Vlieland and Terschelling It connected at its southeast extremity to the north-south oriented Boorne Valley.

By 100 BC the Roman Empire occupied the area and terps at Pingjum and Witmarsum to the south, Kimswerd and Arum to the north of the estuary were established.

[1] Around this time, the southeast end of Marneslenk connected to the southernmost part of the Middelzee, separating an island, Westergo, from the continent.

By 800 AD the coast line was somewhat similar to that today, except that Marneslenk was extending inland, with tidal flats and a water channel.

Levees formed banks around salt marshes and channels, when the highest possible tides flooded the area and deposited sediment preferentially.

[1] It left Witmarsum on the edge of the polder adjacent to the south west branch of the Marne.

On the south side they were starting from the Zuider Zee, the first being Sânwei (Zandweg), then Penjumer Rige (now called Riegeweg), to Mania, then Nesserleane heading east-southeast.

[1] The northern shore of the Marne heads north west from Grouwe Kat, to Arum, and then west-northwest to Kimswerd.

[1] The future of the area is likely to be affected by further sea level rise and reduced availability of fresh water.