Abstract
A brief review of historic normalisation and sediment management in the Dutch Rhine branches is given. Aiming for maintaining navigability and safety against flooding, this river engineering has triggered large‐scale bed level developments that affect for example the use and maintenance of the fairway. The observed trend of bed level changes is explained using simplified theoretical equilibrium approaches. With numerical simulations, future developments are predicted and potential measures are defined to prevent bottle necks in the fairway. Finally a strategy is recommended to develop a sediment management that aims for an economic and sustainable fairway in the Dutch Rhine branches.