This text has been translated from Dutch by Johan Simons. The original comes from the book "van Elshout tot Kinderdijk" written by Kees van den Heuvel.
Kinderdijk
In the Alblasserwaard, the area whereto Kinderdijk belongs, problems with the water household became more and more apparent from the 13th century. To get rid of the excess water in the polders, long canals were dug. These canals are called "weteringen" and you can find them all over Holland.
This method was sufficient only for a few years. When the ground lowered again because of it's structure (veen) and the level of the river raised at the same time, an additional way of keeping the correct level of the water in the polders was necessary.
Windmills
It was decided to build a series of windmills which would pump the water into a reservoir (boezem) until the level of the river had reached a level that pumping the water into the river was possible again.
To control the water completely was never possible and in the past centuries, Holland suffered from floods over 30 times, one more severe than the other, but always a threat to men, women, children and animals.
Floods
The most severe flood dates back to 1421. This flood, called the "Elisabethsflood", was caused by a heavy storm and made the dikes brake. The water from the river flushed into the polders.
Legend
According to a legend, Kinderdijk thanks it's name to a special event during the flood. A cradle with a child on the waves was kept in balance by a cat and stranded on the slope of a dike. The spot where this happened was named Kinderdijk...
Steam and diesel
In 1869, the windmills received assistance from a steam "mill" or pumping station, which was replaced by a diesel pumping station in 1927. The pumping station was not able to function properly in the second world war, because of lack of oil. The windmills proved their usability and functioned again as never before.
Corkscrew
In the seventies a new diesel pumping station was built and this one is still in operation today. This station contains three big "corkscrews" which pump the water out of the polder into the river. At full capacity a total of 1350 m3 water per minute can be pumped through. In 1981 an extension was built which can be seen on the Overwaard side. This electric station has a capacity of 1500 m3 per minute.
