The Amstel's a river in the Netherlands which runs through the city of Amsterdam. The Amstel's name's derived from Aeme stelle, old Dutch for "area abounding with water". Geography The river originally began where two smaller rivers, the Drecht and Kromme Mijdrecht, joined together, a little south of Uithoorn. After the construction of a canal, the Amstel-Drecht Kanaal, the river (including the canal) now begins where the Drecht and another canal, the Aarkanaal, meet one another, near the town… (More on Amstel)