Berkel

For other uses, see Berkel (disambiguation).

The Berkel (German pronunciation: [ˈbɛʁkl̩] ^ⓘ) is a river in the Netherlands and Germany. It is a right tributary of the IJssel.

Berkel
The Berkel near Eibergen
Location
Countries	Germany and Netherlands
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Westphalia
Mouth
• location	IJssel
• coordinates	52°8′25″N 6°11′28″E
Length	114.6 km (71.2 mi)[1]
Basin size	849 km2 (328 sq mi)[1]
Basin features
Progression	IJssel→ IJsselmeer

The river rises in Billerbeck, near the German city of Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia, and crosses the border with the Netherlands near Vreden (Germany) and Rekken (Netherlands). From there, it flows through the province of Gelderland to join the IJssel at Zutphen after about 115 kilometres.

Before the coming of the railway, the Berkel was a major shipping route for goods from Münster to Eibergen, Borculo, and Zutphen, transported in flat-bottomed boats called Berkelzompen. In the 1950s, the Dutch stretch of the river was channelized to prevent flooding and to improve drainage. Recently old bends have been reconnected to the straightened lengths of the river.

Towns along the course of the Berkel include:

• in Germany: Billerbeck, Coesfeld, Gescher, Stadtlohn, Vreden
• in the Netherlands: Eibergen, Borculo, Lochem, Almen, Warnsveld, Zutphen

Gallery

• 
  Berkel between Coesfeld and Gescher
• 
  Berkel in Berkelland
• 
  Berkel in Eibergen
• 
  Berkel in Almen