Dalsland Canal
Encyclopedia
Dalslands kanal is a Swedish
canal which enables ships to sail between Lake Vänern
and central parts of the Dalsland
and southwestern Värmland
lake districts. The canal runs across the well-known aqueduct
at Håverud and is a much visited tourist attraction during the summer months, drawing yachts, motor boats as well as canoeists.
via the Dalsland lakes of Råvarpen, Laxsjön, Lelång and continues into southwestern Värmland by means of the lakes of Foxen, Töck and finally reaches Lake Östen and its extension named Snäcke Canal. The lakes of Stora Le
and both Västra Silen and Östra Silen are also deemd part of the canal system. A boat lift at Strandviken on Stora Le Nössemark enables ships to be loaded onto lorries
to Halden
in Norway and continue their journey down Idefjord and Svinesund
to Skagerak. Stora Le
is situated 66 m (217 ft) above Lake Vänern. Thirty-one locks
help to span this drop. 17 metres of head space along the route enables sail boats to ply the entire length of the canal, in contrast to many other canals in Sweden. However, it pays to note that only 1.8 m (6 ft) of draught
and a maximum length of 22.75 m and width of 4.05 m are allowed. Maximum speed on the canal is set at 2.5 knots.
. Only 12 km (7.5 Mi) out of the 250 km stretch of the canal system had to be dug or dynamite
d, as Ericson made good use of the numerous lakes which span this area.
. The canal dues are SEK
50 per lock for small boats up to SEK
2500 for the whole canal back and forth (in 2010). Several shipping companies offer short cruises on the canal. The Dalsland kanotmaraton + canoeing competition is partly held on lakes forming part of the canal system.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
canal which enables ships to sail between Lake Vänern
Vänern
Vänern is the largest lake in Sweden, the largest lake in the EU and the third largest lake in Europe after Ladoga and Onega in Russia. It is located in the provinces of Västergötland, Dalsland, and Värmland in the southwest of the country.- History :...
and central parts of the Dalsland
Dalsland
Dalsland is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland in southern Sweden. Lying to the west of Lake Vänern, it is bordered by Värmland to the north, Västergötland to the southeast, Bohuslän to the west, and Norway to the northwest....
and southwestern Värmland
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
lake districts. The canal runs across the well-known aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
at Håverud and is a much visited tourist attraction during the summer months, drawing yachts, motor boats as well as canoeists.
Geography
The canal system streches from Köpmannebro on Lake VänernVänern
Vänern is the largest lake in Sweden, the largest lake in the EU and the third largest lake in Europe after Ladoga and Onega in Russia. It is located in the provinces of Västergötland, Dalsland, and Värmland in the southwest of the country.- History :...
via the Dalsland lakes of Råvarpen, Laxsjön, Lelång and continues into southwestern Värmland by means of the lakes of Foxen, Töck and finally reaches Lake Östen and its extension named Snäcke Canal. The lakes of Stora Le
Stora Le
Stora Le or Lesjön in Swedish and Store Le in Norwegian is a lake in Dalsland, Sweden, the northern end of which proceeds into Norway and into Värmland, where it continues as Lake Foxen....
and both Västra Silen and Östra Silen are also deemd part of the canal system. A boat lift at Strandviken on Stora Le Nössemark enables ships to be loaded onto lorries
Lorry
-Transport:* Lorry or truck, a large motor vehicle* Lorry, or a Mine car in USA: an open gondola with a tipping trough* Lorry , a horse-drawn low-loading trolley-In fiction:...
to Halden
Halden
is a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
in Norway and continue their journey down Idefjord and Svinesund
Svinesund
Svinesund is a sound separating the Swedish municipality of Strömstad in the province of Bohuslän in the county of Västra Götaland from the Norwegian municipality of Halden in the county of Østfold....
to Skagerak. Stora Le
Stora Le
Stora Le or Lesjön in Swedish and Store Le in Norwegian is a lake in Dalsland, Sweden, the northern end of which proceeds into Norway and into Värmland, where it continues as Lake Foxen....
is situated 66 m (217 ft) above Lake Vänern. Thirty-one locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
help to span this drop. 17 metres of head space along the route enables sail boats to ply the entire length of the canal, in contrast to many other canals in Sweden. However, it pays to note that only 1.8 m (6 ft) of draught
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
and a maximum length of 22.75 m and width of 4.05 m are allowed. Maximum speed on the canal is set at 2.5 knots.
History
The canal was dug between 1864 and 1868 by engineer Nils EricsonNils Ericson
Friherre Nils Ericson was a Swedish mechanical engineer...
. Only 12 km (7.5 Mi) out of the 250 km stretch of the canal system had to be dug or dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
d, as Ericson made good use of the numerous lakes which span this area.
Canal Use
The canal is exploited by the Dalslands Kanal AB company, seated in ÅmålÅmål
Åmål is a locality and the seat of Åmål Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 9,380 inhabitants in 2005. It is situated on the western shore of Lake Vänern....
. The canal dues are SEK
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
50 per lock for small boats up to SEK
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
2500 for the whole canal back and forth (in 2010). Several shipping companies offer short cruises on the canal. The Dalsland kanotmaraton + canoeing competition is partly held on lakes forming part of the canal system.