Yoffan Dike

The Yoffan Dike
This line of earthworks was started in 780 and finished around 790. The 'Yoffan Dike' is actually a series of 16 dikes, designed to regulate the inflow of water to the Yoffan fields and surrounding areas. The Dikes have enabled the reclamation of substantial tracts of land from the waters and the reclaimed land has proven to be tremendously fertile for the range of crops now grown there.

3 of the dikes (the Huygendijk, Houvendijk and Balrygdijk) forming part of the 'Yoffan Dike' were damaged so much that their ability to hold back the floodwaters of Ffenargh river was reduced to almost none and the areas behind these dams have become more marsh than land.

The dikes due to their elevated position and solid base are also transport roads as the top of the dikes are sealed with stone paving or rubble on top of earth and rubble.

The line of dikes follows earlier dikes from past centuries that were less stable and sturdy in the face of flooding, storms and seismic events in the area. Older dikes were built upon and used as the basis for most of the Yoffan dikes'.

The rest of the dikes in the 'Yoffan dike' are: Baylgzanddijk, Nyorderdijk, Zyiderdijk, Wysterdijk, Gystmerambachtdijk, Walyngsdijk, Reykerdijk, Groeytpolderdijk, Hyazedijk, Slapyerdijk, Slykkerdijk, Mayrskedijk