Donkmeer, Protected lake in Berlare, Belgium

Donkmeer is a shallow lake in Berlare, between Overmere, Uitbergen and the town centre, with a water surface of about 86 hectares and a maximum depth of 3.20 metres. It lies beside the hamlet of Donk and the provincial domain Nieuwdonk, whose recreation pond was dug out by sand extraction in the 1970s. A fountain stands at the north end of the lake.

The Donkmeer occupies a former Scheldt meander that silted up into peat. Turf cutting, probably begun in the late 17th century in the Berlaars Broek, created the open water in the late 18th and early 19th century; by the 1850s it covered about 225 hectares. It was protected as a landscape by royal decree of 6 July 1957, extended on 29 May 1964.

Peat cutting began in the Berlaars Broek in the late 17th century and was a leading trade in Berlare by the early 18th century; the Donkmeer itself formed from this digging in the late 18th and early 19th century. Around the water, eel restaurants made the Donk a known recreation spot in East Flanders. The hamlet on the north-east shore is also called Donk.

Paths for walking and cycling circle the lake and provide good views of the entire area from different angles. For those wanting to explore the water itself, boat and water bike rentals are available at various spots around the shore.

A fountain marks the northern section and provides a quiet focal point while walking around the water. Nearby restaurants serve traditional eel dishes, a local specialty that reflects the region's fishing heritage in an unexpected way.