▁R ijn ▁is ▁a ▁canal ▁connecting ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁U tre cht ▁with ▁Nie uw eg ein ▁and ▁the ▁Le k ▁river ▁in ▁the ▁Dutch ▁province ▁of ▁U tre cht . ▁The ▁Va art se ▁R ijn ▁was ▁formerly ▁a ▁major ▁sh ipping ▁route ▁between ▁U tre cht ▁and ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁bas in . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁ 1 1 2 2 , ▁Bishop ▁G ode b ald ▁of ▁U tre cht ▁dam med ▁the ▁K rom me ▁R ijn ▁where ▁it ▁branches ▁from ▁the ▁Neder rij n ▁at ▁W ijk ▁bij ▁Du urst ede . ▁In ▁the ▁Roman ▁period , ▁The ▁K rom me ▁R ijn ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁main ▁channel ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁river , ▁but ▁by ▁this ▁stage ▁was ▁a ▁minor ▁distrib ut ary , ▁most ▁water ▁flow ing ▁in ▁the ▁Le k ▁and ▁the ▁W aal ▁distrib ut aries . ▁The ▁K rom me ▁R ijn ▁was ▁dam med ▁to ▁prevent ▁in und ation ▁of ▁the ▁Bishop ' s ▁land ▁hold ings ▁near ▁W ijk ▁bij ▁Du urst ede . ▁The ▁dam ▁on ▁the ▁K rom me ▁R ijn ▁sever ed ▁the ▁sh ipping ▁connection ▁between ▁U tre cht ▁and ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁hinter land , ▁and ▁the ▁citizens ▁of ▁U tre cht ▁therefore ▁decided ▁to ▁dig ▁a ▁canal ▁rest oring ▁the ▁connection . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁phase ▁of ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Va art se ▁R ijn , ▁( also ▁called ▁the ▁Re chte ▁R ijn ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁K rom me ▁R ijn ) ▁began