Horse manure used between wooden beams at Tiel Waterpoort when the River Waal was m above its normal level (NAP)

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Where a road cuts through a dike this cutting is called a 'coupure' in Dutch. In the event of high water this cut-through must be restored to function as a dike. The sides of the 'coupure' are constructed from masonry containing two vertical grooves. Two rows of heavy wooden beams are placed in these grooves to close off the gap. Horse manure has been used for centuries in the Netherlands to fill up the gap between the beams and seal off any leakage, although nowadays sandbags are used in some places.

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Size: 4672px × 3103px
Location: Waterpoort, Tiel, Gelderland, The Netherlands
Photo credit: © Tony Cunningham / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: coupure, flood, tradition, traditional