Augustów Canal
Encyclopedia
The Augustów Canal is a cross-border canal
built in the 19th century in the present-day Podlaskie Voivodeship
of northeastern Poland
and the Hrodna Voblast of north-western Belarus
(then the Augustów Voivodeship
of the Kingdom of Poland
). From the time it was first built, the canal was described by experts as a technological marvel, with numerous sluice
s contributing to its aesthetic appeal.
It was the first summit level canal
in Central Europe
to provide a direct link between the two major rivers, Vistula River through the Biebrza River – a tributary of the Narew River
, and the Neman River
through its tributary – the Czarna Hancza River, and it provided a link with the Black Sea
to the south through the Oginski Canal
, Daugava River , Berezina Canal
and Dnieper River
. It uses a post-glacial channel depression, forming the chain of Augustów lakes, and the river valleys of the Biebrza, the Netta, the Czarna Hancza and the Neman, which made it possible to perfectly integrate the Canal with the surrounding elements of the natural environment.
The reasons behind the construction of the Augustów Canal were both political and economic. In 1821 Prussia introduced repressively high customs duties for transit of Polish and Lithuanian goods through its territory, which practically blocked the access of Polish traders to the Baltic Sea through the Vistula River. In 1822 the Kingdom of Poland was granted commercial autonomy from Russian Empire
's customs area. In the years 1823-1839 a waterway was constructed, bypassing the Prussian territory, intended eventually to link the center of the Kingdom of Poland with the Baltic
seaport of Ventspils
. This goal was relinquished due to unrest caused by the 1830–1831 November Uprising
against Russia
and revised trade agreements with Prussia.
The completed part of the Augustów Canal remained an inland waterway of local significance used for commercial shipping and to transport wood to and from the Vistula and Neman Rivers until replaced by the regional railway network. The canal is currently a conservation protection zone proposed by Poland and Belarus for inscription onto the World Heritage List of UNESCO
.
The reasons behind the construction of the Augustów Canal were both political and economic. In 1821 Prussia
introduced repressively high customs duties for transit of Polish and Lithuanian goods through its territory, practically blocking the access to the sea for Polish traders operating outside of Prussian territory. In 1822 the Kingdom of Poland
was granted commercial autonomy by Russia. The idea of Polish Minister of Economy, Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki
, was to make the new trade route independent of the Prussian seaport of Danzig (Gdańsk).
In 1823–1839 a waterway designed by General Ignacy Prądzyński
, French General and engineer Jan Chrzciciel de Grandville Malletski and General Jan Paweł Lelewel was constructed, including buildings and hydraulic engineering structures, intended to bypass Prussian territory and link the center of the Kingdom of Poland
with the Baltic
seaport of Ventspils
. The building of the final "windawski" section of the waterway (Windawski Canal
), which was to connect the new trading route to Ventspils, was relinquished due to unrest caused by the 1830–1831 November Uprising
against Russia
and revised trade agreements with Prussia.
Decline and abandonment (1850–1920)
During the latter half of the 19th century the rail network, such as nearby the Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway, started to replace the canal as the primary means of transporting goods. The channel gradually began to decline, from 1852 on it floated only forest products and from mid-1860s the canal channel was scored.
Rebirth and destruction (1920–1945)
The First World War and the Polish-Soviet War
caused some damage to the canal, but it was rebuilt by the Second Polish Republic
during the early 1920s. Between the World Wars the canal became a tourist attraction for the first time. It was a picturesque tourist route providing excellent sporting opportunities for canoeists, sailors and boaters. World War II
saw the destruction of a number of locks and weirs of the canal. During the Second World War, German troops blew up three locks, about a dozen bridges and eight weir. After World War II the Polish part of the canal has been restored.
Division and reconstruction (1950–2005)
The post-war redrawing of the eastern Polish border, see Curzon Line
had a significant impact upon the canal. The Border Agreement between Poland and the USSR of 16 August 1945
drew a segment of the Polish
-Belorussian SSR border along the axis of the Kurzyniec Lock
and further along the axis of the canal for an additional 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi). During 1950s the People's Republic of Poland
rebuilt the canal from the start on the Bezbra to Tartak Lock
the remaining portion in Poland was left inactive after the damage incurred from World War II. The USSR performed no repairs on the portion of the canal within the Belorussian SSR. The Belorussian part of the canal since the partition has become a unique ecosystem, in 1970 the Sapotskinsky Biological Reserve
was created to help preserve the area.
According to the decision of the Polish Minister of Culture and the Arts from 21 December 1968 the Augustów Canal on the section from Augustów
to the state border with the infrastructure: locks, dams, bridges, housing banks, building maintenance services, environment, landscape and plant was declared a monument of technology Class I. Then, on Feb. 9, 1979, the Voivode's decision Suwalki Augustów Canal for its entire length was entered in the register of monuments.
Treasured status (2005–Present)
On June 8, 2005, based on Council of Ministers Resolution No. 125/2005 of 22 May 2005 concluded the "Agreement between the Government of the Polish Republic and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on the reconstruction of the Augustów Canal section of the border." The aim of the project was to restore the canal to operable condition for tourists, provide rational water management in the Black Hańcza river valley and restore the natural ecosystem of the waterway. Another event is the recognition of the Augustów Canal as a Monument of History — Regulation of the Polish President of 15 April 2007 (Dz. U. Nr 86 poz. 572). The canal is currently a conservation protection zone proposed by Poland and Belarus for inscription onto the World Heritage List of UNESCO
.
The canal utilizes a postglacial
depression and numerous valleys in the Masurian Lake District that were shaped by the Pleistocene
ice age
. Many of the surrounding hills are parts of moraine
s and many of its lakes are moraine-dammed lakes. It is based in the long natural chain of Augustów lakes and the adjoining rivers. The qualities of the landscape made it possible to perfectly integrate the canal with its environment over its 101.20 km length. The watershed area of the canal on the Polish side of the border is 74.25 km² and on the Belarusian side, 8.42 km² for a total of 82.67 km².
The canal connects seven natural moraine-dammed lakes: Necko, Białe, Studzieniczne, Orle, Paniewo, Krzywe and Mikaszewo; and 11 rivers: Biebrza
, Netta
, Czarna Hańcza, Klonownica, Plaska (Sucha Rzeczka, Serwianka), Mikaszówka, Perkucia, Szlamica, Wolkuszanka, Ostaszanka and Neman. The natural waterways are interconnected by cuttings and hydraulic installations with locks and weir
s, including towpaths along the canal bank and a system of roads, bridges and buildings. A water reserve feeding the canal is provided from outside the buffer zone by the Sajno, Serwy and Wigry lakes, all within the boundaries of the protected area. Six historic sluice
s, Przewięź, Paniewo, Perkuć, Sosnówek, Tartak and Kudrynki, are easy to access from the green trail used by hikers and cyclists.
and Neman River
. The canal was used to transport the flour, salt, grain, chalk, gypsum, etc. In Augustów
a large port was built in addition to a number of tow paths for horses to pull barges upstream. The canal was designed for the passage of vessels up to 40 m long, up to 5 m in width and capable of carrying up to 10 tons of cargo.
During the latter half of the 19th century the rail network, such as nearby the Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway, started to replace the canal as the primary means of transporting goods. The channel gradually began to decline, from 1852 on it floated only forest products and from mid-1860s the canal channel was scored.
Starting in the late 1920s the canal became a tourist attraction for the first time. It was a picturesque tourist route providing excellent sporting opportunities for canoeists, sailors and boaters. After World War II the Polish part of the canal has been restored.
Currently the canal offers numerous sightseeing and tourist attractions. Its unsurpassed beauty comes from the natural qualities of the landscape with coniferous forests and lakes, especially around the Biebrza and Netta Rivers, and it runs through the Augustów Primeval Forest
from west to east. The biggest attraction is to navigate the waterway in a kayak, canoe, fishing boat or a motorboat. It is also possible to visit part of the canal and the Augustów lakes in a passenger ship.
The Augustów Canal was the first summit level canal
in Central Europe
to provide a direct link between the two major rivers, Vistula River through the Biebrza River – a tributary of the Narew River
, and the Neman River through its tributary – the Czarna Hancza River, and it provided a link with the Black Sea
to the south through the Oginski Canal
, Daugava River , Berezina Canal
and Dnieper River
. From the time it was first built, the canal was described by experts as a technological marvel, with numerous sluice
s contributing to its aesthetic appeal.
The Augustów Canal, consisting of 18 locks and 22 sluices, is divided into two sections:
(0.0 - 32.50 km)
to Neman River
(32.50 km - 101.20 km)
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
built in the 19th century in the present-day Podlaskie Voivodeship
Podlaskie Voivodeship
Podlaskie Voivodeship , is a voivodeship in northeastern Poland. It borders on Masovian Voivodeship to the west, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship to the northwest, Lublin Voivodeship to the south, the Belarusssian Voblasts of Grodno and Brest to the east, the Lithuanian Counties of Alytus and...
of northeastern Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and the Hrodna Voblast of north-western Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
(then the Augustów Voivodeship
Augustów Voivodeship
Augustów Voivodeship was created in 1816 from the Łomża Department. Its capital was in Łomża until 1818, when it was transferred to Suwałki. In 1837 it was transformed into Augustów Governorate.-Administrative divisions:It was divided into 7 counties:...
of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
). From the time it was first built, the canal was described by experts as a technological marvel, with numerous sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
s contributing to its aesthetic appeal.
It was the first summit level canal
Summit level canal
A summit level canal is an artificial waterway connecting two separate river valleys. It was an essential step in developing transport systems connecting different parts of a country before the railways or modern road transport....
in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
to provide a direct link between the two major rivers, Vistula River through the Biebrza River – a tributary of the Narew River
Narew
The Narew River , in western Belarus and north-eastern Poland, is a left tributary of the Vistula river...
, and the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
through its tributary – the Czarna Hancza River, and it provided a link with the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
to the south through the Oginski Canal
Oginski Canal
The Oginski Canal is a canal in Belarus which connects Yaselda River and Shchara River of length 54 km. Its construction was started in 1765 by count Michał Kazimierz Ogiński, hence the name....
, Daugava River , Berezina Canal
Berezina River
The Berezina is a river in Belarus and a tributary of the Dnieper River.The Berezina Preserve by the river is in the UNESCO list of Biosphere Preserves.-Historical significance:...
and Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
. It uses a post-glacial channel depression, forming the chain of Augustów lakes, and the river valleys of the Biebrza, the Netta, the Czarna Hancza and the Neman, which made it possible to perfectly integrate the Canal with the surrounding elements of the natural environment.
The reasons behind the construction of the Augustów Canal were both political and economic. In 1821 Prussia introduced repressively high customs duties for transit of Polish and Lithuanian goods through its territory, which practically blocked the access of Polish traders to the Baltic Sea through the Vistula River. In 1822 the Kingdom of Poland was granted commercial autonomy from Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
's customs area. In the years 1823-1839 a waterway was constructed, bypassing the Prussian territory, intended eventually to link the center of the Kingdom of Poland with the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
seaport of Ventspils
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
. This goal was relinquished due to unrest caused by the 1830–1831 November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and revised trade agreements with Prussia.
The completed part of the Augustów Canal remained an inland waterway of local significance used for commercial shipping and to transport wood to and from the Vistula and Neman Rivers until replaced by the regional railway network. The canal is currently a conservation protection zone proposed by Poland and Belarus for inscription onto the World Heritage List of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
History
Construction and operations (1821–1850)The reasons behind the construction of the Augustów Canal were both political and economic. In 1821 Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
introduced repressively high customs duties for transit of Polish and Lithuanian goods through its territory, practically blocking the access to the sea for Polish traders operating outside of Prussian territory. In 1822 the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
was granted commercial autonomy by Russia. The idea of Polish Minister of Economy, Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki
Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki
Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki was an important politician of the first half of the 19th century in the partitioned Poland. He was a prince and minister of the treasury in the Congress Kingdom of Poland. He is known as one of the prominent economists and financiers of his era...
, was to make the new trade route independent of the Prussian seaport of Danzig (Gdańsk).
In 1823–1839 a waterway designed by General Ignacy Prądzyński
Ignacy Pradzynski
Ignacy Prądzyński was a Polish military commander and a general of the Polish Army. A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, he was one of the most successful Polish commanders of the November Uprising against Russia....
, French General and engineer Jan Chrzciciel de Grandville Malletski and General Jan Paweł Lelewel was constructed, including buildings and hydraulic engineering structures, intended to bypass Prussian territory and link the center of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
with the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
seaport of Ventspils
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
. The building of the final "windawski" section of the waterway (Windawski Canal
Windawski Canal
The Windawski Canal is an abandoned canal connecting the Dubysa River near Bazilionai, Šiauliai district to the Venta River near Tolučiai Šaukėnų, Kelmė District of Lithuania....
), which was to connect the new trading route to Ventspils, was relinquished due to unrest caused by the 1830–1831 November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and revised trade agreements with Prussia.
Decline and abandonment (1850–1920)
During the latter half of the 19th century the rail network, such as nearby the Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway, started to replace the canal as the primary means of transporting goods. The channel gradually began to decline, from 1852 on it floated only forest products and from mid-1860s the canal channel was scored.
Rebirth and destruction (1920–1945)
The First World War and the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
caused some damage to the canal, but it was rebuilt by the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
during the early 1920s. Between the World Wars the canal became a tourist attraction for the first time. It was a picturesque tourist route providing excellent sporting opportunities for canoeists, sailors and boaters. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
saw the destruction of a number of locks and weirs of the canal. During the Second World War, German troops blew up three locks, about a dozen bridges and eight weir. After World War II the Polish part of the canal has been restored.
Division and reconstruction (1950–2005)
The post-war redrawing of the eastern Polish border, see Curzon Line
Curzon Line
The Curzon Line was put forward by the Allied Supreme Council after World War I as a demarcation line between the Second Polish Republic and Bolshevik Russia and was supposed to serve as the basis for a future border. In the wake of World War I, which catalysed the Russian Revolution of 1917, the...
had a significant impact upon the canal. The Border Agreement between Poland and the USSR of 16 August 1945
Border Agreement between Poland and the USSR of 16 August 1945
The Border Agreement between Poland and the USSR of 16 August 1945 refers to the ratification of borders between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Republic of Poland signed by the Provisional Government of National Unity formed by the Polish communists...
drew a segment of the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-Belorussian SSR border along the axis of the Kurzyniec Lock
Kurzyniec Lock
Kurzyniec Lock - fifteenth lock on the Augustów Canal in the administrative district of Gmina Płaska, within Augustów County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, and the border with Belarus runs down the center line of the lock. It lies approximately east of Płaska, east of Augustów,...
and further along the axis of the canal for an additional 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi). During 1950s the People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
rebuilt the canal from the start on the Bezbra to Tartak Lock
Tartak Lock
Tartak Lock - thirteenth lock on the Augustow Canal . It was not planned in the original draft written by Ignatius Prądzyński. Its construction was necessary because the state of the waters piled high water destroyed hydro-technical equipment.Built between 1837 - 1838 by Eng...
the remaining portion in Poland was left inactive after the damage incurred from World War II. The USSR performed no repairs on the portion of the canal within the Belorussian SSR. The Belorussian part of the canal since the partition has become a unique ecosystem, in 1970 the Sapotskinsky Biological Reserve
Sapotskinsky Biological Reserve
Sapotskinsky biological reserve - reserve of national importance in the Grodno region .Established in 1978 in order to protect natural reserves of medicinal plants, landscape and floral complexes of rare and endangered species. Area - 12,600 hectares ....
was created to help preserve the area.
According to the decision of the Polish Minister of Culture and the Arts from 21 December 1968 the Augustów Canal on the section from Augustów
Augustów
Augustów is a town in north-eastern Poland with 29,600 inhabitants . It lies on the Netta River and the Augustów Canal. It is situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship , having previously been in Suwałki Voivodeship . It is the seat of Augustów County and of Gmina Augustów.In 1970 Augustów became...
to the state border with the infrastructure: locks, dams, bridges, housing banks, building maintenance services, environment, landscape and plant was declared a monument of technology Class I. Then, on Feb. 9, 1979, the Voivode's decision Suwalki Augustów Canal for its entire length was entered in the register of monuments.
Treasured status (2005–Present)
On June 8, 2005, based on Council of Ministers Resolution No. 125/2005 of 22 May 2005 concluded the "Agreement between the Government of the Polish Republic and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on the reconstruction of the Augustów Canal section of the border." The aim of the project was to restore the canal to operable condition for tourists, provide rational water management in the Black Hańcza river valley and restore the natural ecosystem of the waterway. Another event is the recognition of the Augustów Canal as a Monument of History — Regulation of the Polish President of 15 April 2007 (Dz. U. Nr 86 poz. 572). The canal is currently a conservation protection zone proposed by Poland and Belarus for inscription onto the World Heritage List of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Geography
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
depression and numerous valleys in the Masurian Lake District that were shaped by the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. Many of the surrounding hills are parts of moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s and many of its lakes are moraine-dammed lakes. It is based in the long natural chain of Augustów lakes and the adjoining rivers. The qualities of the landscape made it possible to perfectly integrate the canal with its environment over its 101.20 km length. The watershed area of the canal on the Polish side of the border is 74.25 km² and on the Belarusian side, 8.42 km² for a total of 82.67 km².
The canal connects seven natural moraine-dammed lakes: Necko, Białe, Studzieniczne, Orle, Paniewo, Krzywe and Mikaszewo; and 11 rivers: Biebrza
Biebrza
Biebrza is a river in north-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Narew river , with a length of 155 kilometres and the basin area of 7,057 km2...
, Netta
Netta River
The Netta is a river in north-east Poland, a right tributary of the Biebrza, approximately long. It is a continuation of the Rospuda, which flows into Lake Rospuda north of the town of Augustów...
, Czarna Hańcza, Klonownica, Plaska (Sucha Rzeczka, Serwianka), Mikaszówka, Perkucia, Szlamica, Wolkuszanka, Ostaszanka and Neman. The natural waterways are interconnected by cuttings and hydraulic installations with locks and weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
s, including towpaths along the canal bank and a system of roads, bridges and buildings. A water reserve feeding the canal is provided from outside the buffer zone by the Sajno, Serwy and Wigry lakes, all within the boundaries of the protected area. Six historic sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
s, Przewięź, Paniewo, Perkuć, Sosnówek, Tartak and Kudrynki, are easy to access from the green trail used by hikers and cyclists.
Economics
The Augustów Canal remained, after completion, an inland waterway of local significance that was used for commercial shipping and to transport wood to and from the Vistula RiverVistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
and Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
. The canal was used to transport the flour, salt, grain, chalk, gypsum, etc. In Augustów
Augustów
Augustów is a town in north-eastern Poland with 29,600 inhabitants . It lies on the Netta River and the Augustów Canal. It is situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship , having previously been in Suwałki Voivodeship . It is the seat of Augustów County and of Gmina Augustów.In 1970 Augustów became...
a large port was built in addition to a number of tow paths for horses to pull barges upstream. The canal was designed for the passage of vessels up to 40 m long, up to 5 m in width and capable of carrying up to 10 tons of cargo.
During the latter half of the 19th century the rail network, such as nearby the Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway, started to replace the canal as the primary means of transporting goods. The channel gradually began to decline, from 1852 on it floated only forest products and from mid-1860s the canal channel was scored.
Starting in the late 1920s the canal became a tourist attraction for the first time. It was a picturesque tourist route providing excellent sporting opportunities for canoeists, sailors and boaters. After World War II the Polish part of the canal has been restored.
Currently the canal offers numerous sightseeing and tourist attractions. Its unsurpassed beauty comes from the natural qualities of the landscape with coniferous forests and lakes, especially around the Biebrza and Netta Rivers, and it runs through the Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest
Augustów Primeval Forest is a large virgin forest complex located in Poland as well as in northern Belarus and southeastern Lithuania. The forest covers about 1,600 km², of which 1,140 km² is in Poland....
from west to east. The biggest attraction is to navigate the waterway in a kayak, canoe, fishing boat or a motorboat. It is also possible to visit part of the canal and the Augustów lakes in a passenger ship.
Canal infrastructure
Summit level canal
A summit level canal is an artificial waterway connecting two separate river valleys. It was an essential step in developing transport systems connecting different parts of a country before the railways or modern road transport....
in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
to provide a direct link between the two major rivers, Vistula River through the Biebrza River – a tributary of the Narew River
Narew
The Narew River , in western Belarus and north-eastern Poland, is a left tributary of the Vistula river...
, and the Neman River through its tributary – the Czarna Hancza River, and it provided a link with the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
to the south through the Oginski Canal
Oginski Canal
The Oginski Canal is a canal in Belarus which connects Yaselda River and Shchara River of length 54 km. Its construction was started in 1765 by count Michał Kazimierz Ogiński, hence the name....
, Daugava River , Berezina Canal
Berezina River
The Berezina is a river in Belarus and a tributary of the Dnieper River.The Berezina Preserve by the river is in the UNESCO list of Biosphere Preserves.-Historical significance:...
and Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
. From the time it was first built, the canal was described by experts as a technological marvel, with numerous sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
s contributing to its aesthetic appeal.
The Augustów Canal, consisting of 18 locks and 22 sluices, is divided into two sections:
- West — from the merger of the Biebrza lock Augusta (0.0 - 32.50 km)
- East — from lock to lock Niemnowo Augusta Belarus (32.50 - 101.20 km)
Vistula river watershed
Biebrza River to Augustów LockAugustów Lock
Augustów Lock - the fifth lock on the Augustów Canal . It is ocated in Augustów, Poland near National Road No 8 and built between 1825-1826 by cf Eng...
(0.0 - 32.50 km)
| Kilometer | Description | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Start at the Biebrza Biebrza Biebrza is a river in north-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Narew river , with a length of 155 kilometres and the basin area of 7,057 km2... River (84.2 km from the river source) |
|
| 0.35-10.95 | Canalized Netta River | |
| 0.35 | Dębowo Lock Dębowo Lock Dębowo Lock - the first lock on the Augustów Canal near the village of Dębowo in the administrative district of Gmina Sztabin, within Augustów County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland... and weir Weir A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top... |
53.609978°N 22.930051°E |
| 10.95-32.50 | Lateral canal Lateral canal A lateral canal is a canal built along the same right-of-way as an existing stream. Water for the canal is usually provided by the original natural stream. Many French lateral canals have the word latéral as part of their name... parallel to the Netta River |
|
| 13.20 | Sosnowo Lock Sosnowo Lock Sosnowo Lock - the second lock on the Augustów Canal in Poland near the village of Sosnowo in the administrative district of Gmina Sztabin, within Augustów County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland... . Weir to discharge excess water from the Sosnowo-Borki segment to the Netta River |
53.700272°N 22.926201°E |
| 19.25 | Borki Lock Borki Lock Borki Lock - the third lock on the Augustów Canal and is located in Poland. It was completely destroyed during WW II and was rebuilt in 1948.... |
53.755095°N 22.915075°E |
| 19.35 | Weir to discharge excess water from the Borki-Białobrzegi segment to the Netta River | 53.756433°N 22.915033°E |
| 24.80 | Weir to discharge excess water from the Borki-Białobrzegi segment to the Netta River | 53.796686°N 22.945384°E |
| 26.60 | The canal passes through the village of Białobrzegi, Weir to discharge excess water from the Borki-Białobrzegi segment to the Netta River | 53.804657°N 22.96637°E |
| 27.10 | Białobrzegi Lock Białobrzegi Lock Białobrzegi Lock - the fourth lock on the Augustów Canal . Located in the village of Białobrzegi in the administrative district of Gmina Augustów, within Augustów County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland... |
53.806976°N 22.968698°E |
| 27.60 | Weir to discharge excess water from the Białobrzegi-Augustów segment to Lake Sajno | |
| 32.50 | Augustów Lock Augustów Lock Augustów Lock - the fifth lock on the Augustów Canal . It is ocated in Augustów, Poland near National Road No 8 and built between 1825-1826 by cf Eng... and Augustów Weir. The weir controls the outflow from Lake Necko to Lake Sajna via the Bystry Canal . The purpose is to establish a reserve water storage to supply the Augustów-Dębowo section of the canal. |
53.841365°N 22.990948°E |
Niemen river watershed
Augustów LockAugustów Lock
Augustów Lock - the fifth lock on the Augustów Canal . It is ocated in Augustów, Poland near National Road No 8 and built between 1825-1826 by cf Eng...
to Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
(32.50 km - 101.20 km)
| Kilometer | Description | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| 32.50-43.50 | The canal crosses Lake Necko (1,7 km) and Lake Białe (6,7 km) | |
| 43.50 | Przewięź Lock Przewięź Lock Przewięź Lock - the sixth lock on the Augustów Canal . Located in the village Przewięź, Poland between the lakes Lake Studzienicznym and Lake Białym Augustowskim was built in the 1826 - 1827 by Lt.-Col. Eng. August Szulc... |
53.867143°N 23.092189°E |
| 43.50-47.50 | The canal crosses Lake Studzieniczne | |
| 47.40 | Swoboda Lock Swoboda Lock Swoboda Lock - the seventh lock on the Augustow Canal . It is situated amidst the Augustow Forest near Lake Studzienicznego. Built between 1826-1827 by Lt.-Col. Eng. John Paul Lelewel... |
53.866653°N 23.1451°E |
| 47.40-57.00 | Summit level canal Summit level canal A summit level canal is an artificial waterway connecting two separate river valleys. It was an essential step in developing transport systems connecting different parts of a country before the railways or modern road transport.... with portions traversing Lake Swoboda and Lake Gorczyckie |
|
| 53.00 | Connection to Lake Serwy | |
| 57.00 | Gorczyca Lock Gorczyca Lock Gorczyca Lock - Eighth lock on the Augustów Canal . Located in the village of Gorczyca.Built in 1828 by Eng. Jerzy Arnold. In 1944, she was damaged by the Home Army during the action diversion. Rebuilt from the devastation of World War II in the years 1947 - 1948 and 1954... |
53.90663°N 23.24726°E |
| 57.00-60.90 | artificial canal and traversal of Lake Orlewo and Lake Paniewo | |
| 60.90 | Paniewo Lock Paniewo Lock Paniewo Lock - ninth lock on the Augustów Canal . The only twin-chamber lock on the Augustów Canal in Poland.Built between 1826 - 1828 by Michał Horain. Due to the large difference in levels between Lake Paniewo and Lake Krivoy, which is more than 6 m lock consists of two interconnected chambers,... |
53.898664°N 23.298331°E |
| 63.00 | Perkuć Lock Perkuć Lock Perkuć Lock - tenth of the lock on the Augustów Canal . It is located near the Reserve Perkuć. Built between 1827-1828 by the Lieutenant... |
53.8991°N 23.318835°E |
| 63.00-69.10 | a short artificial canal and traversal of Lake Mikaszewo, near the village of Mikaszówka Mikaszówka Mikaszówka is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Płaska, within Augustów County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, close to the border with Belarus. It lies approximately east of Płaska, east of Augustów, and north of the regional capital Białystok.The village has a... |
|
| 69.10 | Mikaszówka Lock Mikaszówka Lock Mikaszówka Lock - the eleventh lock on the Augustów Canal . Located near the village Mikaszówka. Built in 1828 by Lt. Eng. Wojciech Korczakowski.* Location: 69.1 km channel* Level difference: 2.44 m* Length: 43.31 m* Width: 6.05 m... and Weir |
53.889625°N 23.396562°E |
| 70.30 | Sosnówek Lock Sosnówek Lock Sosnówek Lock - the twelfth lock on the Augustów Canal . It combines artificial part of the canal with a section running trough the Black Hancza.Built in 1828 by Lt. Eng... and Weir |
53.891393°N 23.413226°E |
| 70.50-94.60 | Canalized Czarna Hańcza River | |
| 74.40 | Tartak Lock Tartak Lock Tartak Lock - thirteenth lock on the Augustow Canal . It was not planned in the original draft written by Ignatius Prądzyński. Its construction was necessary because the state of the waters piled high water destroyed hydro-technical equipment.Built between 1837 - 1838 by Eng... and Weir |
53.882391°N 23.461454°E |
| 77.40 | Kudrynki Lock Kudrynki Lock Kudrynki Lock - the fourteenth lock on the Augustów Canal . Built between 1828 - 1829 by Edward Tadeusz Bieliński and Michał Horain... and Weir |
53.878493°N 23.501558°E |
| 80.00-83.40 | The Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... -Belarus Belarus Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,... border runs along the axis of the canal for 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) |
|
| 81.75 | Kurzyniec Lock Kurzyniec Lock Kurzyniec Lock - fifteenth lock on the Augustów Canal in the administrative district of Gmina Płaska, within Augustów County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, and the border with Belarus runs down the center line of the lock. It lies approximately east of Płaska, east of Augustów,... and Weir. Site of the former village of Kurzyniec. |
53.86364°N 23.523851°E |
| 83.40 | Wołkuszek Weir | |
| 83.40-101.20 | Segment of the canal in Belarus | |
| 85.00 | Wołkuszek Lock Wołkuszek Lock Wołkuszek Lock - sixteenth lock on the Augustów Canal . Built in 1829 by Wojciech Korczakowski in the Wołkuszanki estuary. The first of three locks situated on the territory of Belarus... |
|
| 91.50 | Dąbrówka Lock Dąbrówka Lock Dąbrówka Lock - Seventeenth lock on the Augustów Canal . Built in 1829 by George Arnold. The second of the three locks lying on the territory of Belarus... and Weir |
53.862862°N 23.623599°E |
| 94.60 | The Czarna Hańcza River flows in a natural channel to the Neman River Neman River Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches... |
|
| 94.60-101.20 | Lateral canal Lateral canal A lateral canal is a canal built along the same right-of-way as an existing stream. Water for the canal is usually provided by the original natural stream. Many French lateral canals have the word latéral as part of their name... parallel to the Czarna Hańcza River |
|
| 100.00 | Kurkul Weir to discharge excess water from the Dąbrówka-Niemnowo segment to the Neman River Neman River Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches... |
|
| 101.20 | Niemnowo Lock Niemnowo Lock Niemnowo Lock - eighteenth lock on the Augustów Canal . This is the third lock located on the territory of Belarus and also the last before the merger of the canalized Nieman River. Built between 1828 - 1830 by John Paul Lelewel... |
53.870561°N 23.756261°E |
| 101.20 | Neman River Neman River Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches... |
53.870561°N 23.756261°E |
External links
- The Augustów Canal at www.suwalszczyzna.pl
- http://www.warszawa.rzgw.gov.pl/lewe_menu-utrzymanie_wod_i_urzadzen_wodnych-wykaz_administrowanych_obiektow-kanal_augustowski.html?skipcheck
- Блакiтная кнiга Беларусi: Энцыкл. / БелЭн; Рэдкал.: Н.А. Дзiсько i iнш. — Мн.: БелЭн, 1994.
- Stanisław Konior, Kanał Augustowski, Giżycko, August 1997