De waterstaatstoestanden in Noord-Brabant binnen het stroomgebied der Maas - voorheen en thans - uit een economisch en landbouwkundig oogpunt beschouwd

The region concerned, reaching eastwards to the provincial boundary with Limburg, southwards to the Belgian frontier, westwards to a sand ridge through the city of Tilburg and northwards to the River Maas, covers 300,000 ha. It consists mainly of undulating sand soils. The general slope from south to north averages 60 cm per km. The whole region discharges into the Maas through natural streams. Most of this system, serving over 80 % of the area, has a common outlet near Bois le Duc.Since the early Middle Ages drainage deteriorated through a rise in the Maas river-bed, building of watermills along the streams, lack of upkeep of channels and intentional military interference with outflow, Bois le Duc derived its impregnability as a frontier fortress from nearly permanent inundations.Impact on agricultural development was disastrous. The turning-point was reached in 1813 when the region achieved its present political status, though substantial improvements started only after the institution of river authorities around the 1860's. Discharge was still poor and agriculture was still suffering.