The Site is formed by three lakes situated between the dykes of the Flevoland polder and the mainland. In 2015 the three former sites  of “Drontermeer”, “Veluwemeer” and “Wolderwijd en Nuldernauw” were combined into a single Site following the boundary of Natura 2000 site “Veluwerandmeren”. This resulted in an overall increase of 14 hectares. The Site regularly supports more than 20,000 wintering waterbirds and more than 1% of the north-west European populations of tufted duck (Aythya fuligula), mute swan (Cygnus olor) and common coot (Fulica atra). The Site also supports threatened species of plants, mosses, mushrooms, molluscs and fish, which are important for maintaining the biodiversity of the Atlantic biogeographic region. In addition, it maintains the hydrological balance of the region and is an important fresh water reservoir during periods of drought. Land use is dedicated to commercial fisheries, sand extraction, water management, recreation and tourism, shipping traffic, conservation and research. The main factors adversely affecting the Site’s ecological character include the extension and deepening of the shipping lane, impacts of the extraction industry, pollution, eutrophication and disturbance from recreation activities.