river linde friesland from Tronde to Kuinre by anne droogsma

The Linde runs from Tronde to Kuinre.[1] The river is navigable from just north of De Hoeve, where the Noordwoldervaart or IJkenverlaat flows into the river, and east of that still for canoes's. Near Steggerda, the Steggerdavaart enters the Linde and near Oldemarkt the Mallegat. A little further on, the Linde is interrupted by the Driewegsluis lock, which is no longer in regular use, and via a newly dug diversion and the Linthorst Homansluis one continues. Here, the Jonkers- or Helomavaart also branches off to the north, as a through waterway to Friesland.

Near Ossenzijl, the Ossenzijlersloot joins the Linde, with sailing routes towards Steenwijk, Zwartsluis and Blokzijl. The Linde continues to Kuinre, but flows in the opposite direction since the construction of the Northeast Polder. At Kuinre it connects with the higher lying Nieuwe Kanaal, further on Tusschen Linde, towards the Tjonger. At Kuinre, there is a sluice from the Nieuwe Kanaal to the lower canals in the Northeast Polder, but no waterway connection.

Before the Noordoostpolder was built, the Linde emptied into the Zuiderzee at Kuinre. But in the Middle Ages, there was still land between Kuinre and the Zuiderzee. The Linde therefore ran further across the border of what is now the new land of the Noordoostpolder. North of Baarlo, the river again ran eastwards into the old land. The Baarlo road forms an old dike along this old course.

East of Blokzijl, the river merged with the Steenwijker Aa. The Giethoornsche Meer is a result of an old truncated meander that remained open due to the action of the westerly wind and was moved eastwards by the erosion of the bank. Near this lake, the old former course of the Linde can still be recognised in such waters as Zuiderdiep and Rotwetering. North of the hamlet of Leeuwte, it flowed into the Zuiderzee.[2] Due to the erosion of the shore, the course disappeared from Kuinre.