IJsseloog, Environmental restoration island in Ketelmeer Lake, Netherlands
IJsseloog is an artificial island in Ketelmeer Lake built to manage contaminated sediment from the water. The ring-shaped structure encloses a central basin where silt and polluted materials are collected and stored.
The project began in the 1990s to address decades of industrial and shipping pollution that had damaged the lake. It was designed to safely store accumulated deposits and improve water quality over time.
The name IJsseloog means Eye of IJssel, reflecting how Dutch people approach environmental care through practical engineering solutions. You can see this philosophy in the island's design, which turns a challenging problem into a functional landscape feature.
The island is surrounded by water and cannot be reached on foot, so it is mainly visible from a distance. Visitors can observe its distinctive ring shape and environmental function from the shoreline or by boat.
The island includes a processing facility that cleans contaminated sediment before returning it to the environment. This means the site actively removes and reverses pollution rather than simply containing it.
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