# One-way shipping returns to the Boven-IJssel; water to keep falling

> Rijkswaterstaat has reinstated one-way traffic for ships between the IJsselkop and Zutphen, forcing skippers bound for the Twentekanaal to take a detour.

News · published 2026-10-14 09:50 · updated 2026-10-14 12:16 · https://nlnow.nl/a/one-way-shipping-traffic-returns-to-the-boven-ijssel-as-water-drops/

Rijkswaterstaat, the national roads and waterways agency, has reintroduced one-way traffic on the Boven-IJssel, between the IJsselkop and Zutphen. The measure took effect on Wednesday at 9.00 because of low water levels. Inland ships may now only sail upstream.

Skippers bound for the Twentekanaal can no longer sail directly to the canal from both directions and must take a detour. That means longer journeys for ships carrying goods to and from businesses in Twente.

Rijkswaterstaat expects the water level to keep falling over the next five days. That depends partly on how much water the Rhine brings into the Netherlands at Lobith. Rainfall in the Rhine basin in southern Germany plays a major role.

One-way traffic had been lifted earlier this week, when the minimum measured depth on the Boven-IJssel reached 1.45 metres. Less rain fell than expected, and the water level dropped below that value again, so the measure had to be reinstated, Rijkswaterstaat said. Sluis Eefde, the lock at Eefde, stays open with no limit on the number of lockings.

Rijkswaterstaat spokesperson Thijs Scheres said the agency can only look a limited way ahead and lifts restrictions as soon as water levels allow, even if only for a few days. "If they can sail a shorter route, that benefits businesses and shipping," he said. If ships try to pass each other where the water is too low and one runs aground, "we are worse off", he said.

The dry period is not over, Rijkswaterstaat said, and it continues to monitor water levels. The shipping measures may be adjusted if levels change.

## Background

- **Rijkswaterstaat**: Rijkswaterstaat is the executive agency of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, responsible for the national motorways, main roads, and major waterways. It manages the country's rivers, canals, locks, and flood defences, and it sets the rules for shipping on national waterways. Its decisions, such as temporary traffic measures during low water, directly affect boats and ferries as well as water safety.

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