The Netherlands has the densest network of inland waterways in Europe. About 6000km of rivers and canals, many of the latter serving drainage as well as navigation, form a complex system serving all parts of the country, but with widely varying characteristics, from the tranquil 17th century trekvaarten to the extraordinarily busy Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, completed in 1953. The main commercial waterways (Class IV and higher), with a total length of 2200km, account for about 40% of international freight movements in the Netherlands and 20% of domestic freight. These routes are so busy that one of the key issues in development of Dutch waterways today is the provision of alternative routes and navigation structures for recreational navigation. The busiest locks on the network see more than 50 000 boats passing per year. Planning to provide the best overall service to both commercial and recreational users is complicated by the large number of separate waterway authorities. The main network is state-owned and operated by the Rijkswaterstaat (address below), but the smaller waterways, potentially offering attractive routes for recreational boating, are managed by many different provincial authorities or drainage boards, for which navigation is often a low priority…

Information about the network : http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl