Rivierenland (River Area)
The two old District Water Boards of the Overwaard and the Nederwaard - and in fact the entire Polder Board of the Alblasserwaard and the Vijfheerenlanden - merged in 2005 into the new ‘Rievierenland’ District Water Board. Roughly speaking, this water board district stretches from the German border to the municipalities of Nieuw-Lekkerland to the north-west and Werkendam to the south-west. It comprises the entire area between the (Lower) Rhine and the (Bergen) Meuse, but not the Island of Dordrecht and the part of the Biesbosch (marshland area) that lies in the province of South Holland.

Protection
By virtue of the 1988 Dutch Monuments Act, the Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout World Heritage site has been designated as a protected townscape. Furthermore, most of the mills are protected listed buildings. The area is also a protected nature reserve and is part of the southern flank of the 'Green Heart' National Landscape, having been incorporated on the basis of its ‘Belvedere status’.