 The local Cistercian monastery, the Klaarkamp Abbey, might have played a role in aiding this project, as part of a wider mission to develop remote, poorly accessible regions–which seems to have included northern Friesland.The Dokkumer Ee itself also started silting up after a while, to the point that trade was being obstructed and boats had to divert to another waterway.In 1506, the canal was completely dredged, in order to deepen and widen the waterway so boats could again sail through.