The water board uses the dam in the Kromme Rijn in Cothen to regulate the flow of water to and from Utrecht. The monumental lock alongside it (from 1865) was used during wartime to move ships past the dam. When the Waterline needed to be flooded, the commander of the inundation station at Wijk bij Duurstede first gave the order to raise the water level in the Kromme Rijn by closing off the lock with stop logs. Next, he ordered the stop logs to be removed so that a large body of water could flow from the open lock to Utrecht.
This defence work was built in 1875–1878 and comprises a bomb-proof outbuilding and a guardhouse.
In emergencies, it could harbour as many as 95 men.
The fort is freely accessible and boasts uninterrupted views of the island of Schalkwijk. The Verdronken Bos (drowned forest), where a wooden walkway takes you across the water, is a short walk away.
Waalseweg 22
3999 NS Tull en 't Waal
Cavalry Museum
Cavalry Museum
Barchman Wuytierslaan 198
3818 LN Amersfoort