Following from the programme Room for the River, side channels are created in the Netherlands. For their maintenance, alternatives to dredging vessels are needed because of nature development, such as surface screens, that use the flow itself to generate erosion. A field experiment using surface screens was executed at the small side channel in the Welsummerwaard along the river IJssel for this study. It turned out the screen has a positive effect by reducing the sedimentation in the channel. This effect is the largest when using a large angle of attack and a large penetration. Also, applying the screen at the bank instead of in the middle of the channel is profitable. Recommendations are given for Rijkswaterstaat to further develop the concept, including increasing the influence of the screen, for example by working with batteries of screens at each bank. Eventually, this concept could be used for the maintenance of all side channels in the Netherlands.