The Beerse Spillway

Across the county road from the church is the Beerse Overlaat monument.

At the Beerse Overlaat, the Meuse was allowed to overflow for centuries, in case of emergency. Near Beers, between Linden and Cuijk and between Gassel and Linden were two lower spots in the riparian dikes. At high tide, the river water flowed over these banks. Especially during prolonged rainstorms in the Ardennes, it regularly happened that the Meuse overflowed its banks and flooded the surrounding land.

The Spillway came into effect when the Meuse at Grave reached a water level of about 10 meters NAP. The Meuse is over,' it was then called. This happened two or three times every winter. To warn the farmers, a cannon was fired in Grave. The farmers could then bring in the animals and try to bring livestock to safety.

The Beerse Overlaat was decommissioned in 1942.