Volga-Don Canal
Encyclopedia
Lenin Volga–Don Shipping Canal is a canal
which connects the Volga River
and the Don River at their closest points. The length of the waterway
is 101 km (45 km through rivers and reservoirs).
The canal forms a part of the Unified Deep Water System of European Russia. Together with the lower Volga and the lower Don, the Volga–Don Canal provides the most direct navigable connection between the Caspian Sea
and the Sea of Azov
, and thus the world's oceans.
, the idea of connecting the two rivers by an artificial waterway goes back a long way in history. The first recorded canal work was done by the Ottoman Turks
in 1569.
After capturing Azov
in 1696, Peter the Great
decided to build the canal, but, because of a lack of resources and other problems, this attempt was abandoned in 1701 without success. In 1701, he initiated a second attempt (the so-called Ivanovsky Canal) under the administration of Knyaz
Matvey Gagarin. Instead of connecting the lower course of the Don with the lower course of the Volga near the present canal, the Ivanovsky Canal connected the upper course of the Don in what is now Tula Oblast
. Between 1702 and 1707, twenty-four locks were constructed, and, in 1707, about 300 ships passed the canal under remarkably difficult navigation conditions. In 1709 due to financial difficulties caused by the Great Northern War
, the project was stopped. In 1711, under terms of the Treaty of the Pruth
, Russia left Azov and Peter the Great lost all interest in the canal, which was abandoned and fell into ruin. Over time, other projects for connecting the two rivers appeared, but these were not attempted.
The actual construction of today's Volga–Don Canal, designed by Sergey Zhuk's Hydroproject
Institute, began prior to the Eastern Front
campaign of 1941–1945, which would interrupt the process. From 1948 to 1952, construction was completed; navigation was opened June 1, 1952. The canal and its facilities were predominantly built by prisoners detained in several specially organized corrective labor camps. In 1952 the number of convicts employed in construction topped 100,000.
Upon completion, the Volga–Don Canal became an important link of the Unified Deep Water Transportation System of the Europe
an part of the USSR.
; Lock No. 1 and the gateway arch are at 48°31′10"N 44°33′10"E) and ends in the Tsimlyansk Reservoir
of the Don River at the town of Kalach-na-Donu
. The canal has nine one-chamber canal locks on the Volga slope, which can raise ships 88 m, and four canal locks of the same kind on the Don slope, which can lower ships 44 m. The overall dimensions of the canal locks are smaller than of those on the Volga River, however they can pass ships of up to 5,000 tonnes cargo capacity. The smallest locks are 145 m long,
17.0 m wide and 3.6 m deep. Maximum allowed vessel size is 140 m long, 16.6 m wide and 3.5 m deep (so-called Volgo–Don Max Class).
The Volga–Don Canal is filled from the Don river; three powerful pumping station
s maintain water levels. Water is also removed from the canal and used for irrigation
.
Types of cargo
transported from the Don region to the Volga region include coal
from Donetsk
, mineral
s, building material
s, and grain
. Cargoes from the Volga to the Don include lumber
, pyrites, and petroleum products (carried mostly by Volgotanker
boats). Tourist ships travel both ways.
The Volga–Don Canal, together with the Tsimlyansky water-engineering system (chief architect Leonid Polyakov), form part of an architectural ensemble
dedicated to the battles for Tsaritsyn during the Russian Civil War
and for Stalingrad during the German-Soviet War. The Russian classical composer Sergei Prokofiev
wrote the tone poem The Meeting of the Volga and the Don to celebrate its completion.
According to the Maritime Board (Morskaya Kollegiya) of the Russian Government, 10.9 million tonnes of cargo were carried over the Volga–Don Canal in 2004.
An alternate (not necessarily comparable) source claims 8.05 million tonnes of cargo was transported through the canal in total in 2006. Most of the cargo was moved from the east to the west: namely, 7.20 million tonnes were transported through the canal from the Volga/Caspian basin to the Don/Sea of Azov/Black Sea basin, and only 0.85 million tonnes in the opposite direction. Just over half of all cargo was oil or oil products (4.14 million tonnes), predominantly shipped from the Caspian region.
It was reported in 2007 that in the first 55 years of the canal's operations 450,000 vessels had passed through carrying 336 million tonnes of cargo. Recent cargo volume stood at 12 million tonnes a year.
, north (upstream) of the Volga Dam
, as opposed to the existing Volga–Don Canal, which starts south (downstream) of the dam. This canal would reduce the number of locks that ships coming from the Volgograd Reservoir
– or from any other Volga or Kama
port farther north – would have to traverse on their way to the Don. The project was abruptly canceled on the first of August 1990 due to financial considerations, although by that time more than 40 percent of allocated funds had already been spent. Since then most of the stone and metal in the abandoned canal and its locks has been looted.
As of 2007–2008, Russian authorities are considering two options for increasing the throughput of navigable waterways between the Caspian basin and the Black Sea. One option, for which the name "Volga–Don 2" has been reused, is to build a second parallel channel ("second thread") of the Volga–Don Canal, equipped with larger locks 300 metres (984.3 ft) long. This plan would allow for an increase in the canal's annual cargo throughput from 16.5 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes. The other option, which seems to have more support from Kazakhstan
(who would be either canal's major customer), is to build the so-called Eurasia Canal
along a more southerly route in the Kuma–Manych Depression, some sections of which currently form part of the much shallower Manych Ship Canal
. Although the second option would require digging a longer canal than Volga–Don, and would be of less use to vessels coming from the Volga, it would provide a more direct connection between the Caspian and the Sea of Azov. The Eurasia Canal would also require fewer locks than the Volga–Don, as elevations in the Kuma–Manych Depression are lower than the Volga–Don area.
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:...
which connects the Volga River
Volga River
The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...
and the Don River at their closest points. The length of the waterway
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
is 101 km (45 km through rivers and reservoirs).
The canal forms a part of the Unified Deep Water System of European Russia. Together with the lower Volga and the lower Don, the Volga–Don Canal provides the most direct navigable connection between the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
and the Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov , known in Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea on the south of Eastern Europe. It is linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea to the south and is bounded on the north by Ukraine mainland, on the east by Russia, and on the west by the Ukraine's Crimean...
, and thus the world's oceans.
History
As the lower course of the Don approaches the lower course of the Volga near today's VolgogradVolgograd
Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River...
, the idea of connecting the two rivers by an artificial waterway goes back a long way in history. The first recorded canal work was done by the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
in 1569.
After capturing Azov
Azov
-External links:** *...
in 1696, Peter the Great
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
decided to build the canal, but, because of a lack of resources and other problems, this attempt was abandoned in 1701 without success. In 1701, he initiated a second attempt (the so-called Ivanovsky Canal) under the administration of Knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
Matvey Gagarin. Instead of connecting the lower course of the Don with the lower course of the Volga near the present canal, the Ivanovsky Canal connected the upper course of the Don in what is now Tula Oblast
Tula Oblast
Tula Oblast is a federal subject of Russia with its present borders formed on September 26, 1937. Its administrative center is the city of Tula. The oblast has an area of and a population of 1,553,874...
. Between 1702 and 1707, twenty-four locks were constructed, and, in 1707, about 300 ships passed the canal under remarkably difficult navigation conditions. In 1709 due to financial difficulties caused by the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
, the project was stopped. In 1711, under terms of the Treaty of the Pruth
Treaty of the Pruth
The Treaty of the Pruth was signed on the banks of the river Pruth between the Ottoman Empire and the Tsardom of Russia on 21 July 1711, ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1710–1711...
, Russia left Azov and Peter the Great lost all interest in the canal, which was abandoned and fell into ruin. Over time, other projects for connecting the two rivers appeared, but these were not attempted.
The actual construction of today's Volga–Don Canal, designed by Sergey Zhuk's Hydroproject
Hydroproject
Hydroproject is a Russian hydrotechnical design firm. Based in Moscow, it has a number of branches around the country. Its main activities are design of dams, hydroelectric stations, canals, sluices, etc....
Institute, began prior to the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
campaign of 1941–1945, which would interrupt the process. From 1948 to 1952, construction was completed; navigation was opened June 1, 1952. The canal and its facilities were predominantly built by prisoners detained in several specially organized corrective labor camps. In 1952 the number of convicts employed in construction topped 100,000.
Upon completion, the Volga–Don Canal became an important link of the Unified Deep Water Transportation System of the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an part of the USSR.
Operation
The canal starts at the Sarepta backwater on the Volga River (south of VolgogradVolgograd
Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River...
; Lock No. 1 and the gateway arch are at 48°31′10"N 44°33′10"E) and ends in the Tsimlyansk Reservoir
Tsimlyansk Reservoir
Tsimlyansk Reservoir or Tsimlyanskoye Reservoir is an artificial lake on the Don River in the territories of Rostov and Volgograd Oblasts at . Completed in 1952, the reservoir is one of the largest in Russia, providing power and irrigation to the Rostov and Volgograd regions...
of the Don River at the town of Kalach-na-Donu
Kalach-na-Donu
Kalach-na-Donu , or Kalach-on-the-Don, is a town and the administrative center of Kalachyovsky District of Volgograd Oblast, Russia, located on the Don River west of Volgograd. Population: It was founded in 1708 as a Cossack sloboda...
. The canal has nine one-chamber canal locks on the Volga slope, which can raise ships 88 m, and four canal locks of the same kind on the Don slope, which can lower ships 44 m. The overall dimensions of the canal locks are smaller than of those on the Volga River, however they can pass ships of up to 5,000 tonnes cargo capacity. The smallest locks are 145 m long,
17.0 m wide and 3.6 m deep. Maximum allowed vessel size is 140 m long, 16.6 m wide and 3.5 m deep (so-called Volgo–Don Max Class).
The Volga–Don Canal is filled from the Don river; three powerful pumping station
Pumping station
Pumping stations are facilities including pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure systems, such as the supply of water to canals, the drainage of low-lying land, and the removal of sewage to processing sites.A pumping station...
s maintain water levels. Water is also removed from the canal and used for irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
.
Types of cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
transported from the Don region to the Volga region include coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
from Donetsk
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
, mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
s, building material
Building material
Building material is any material which is used for a construction purpose. Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, sand, wood and rocks, even twigs and leaves have been used to construct buildings. Apart from naturally occurring materials, many man-made products are in use, some more...
s, and grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
. Cargoes from the Volga to the Don include lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
, pyrites, and petroleum products (carried mostly by Volgotanker
Volgotanker
Volgotanker is a Russian company engaged in the business of transporting oil and oil products by tanker ship along the inland waterways and coastal seas of European Russia. It is headquartered in Samara.- History :- Soviet period :...
boats). Tourist ships travel both ways.
The Volga–Don Canal, together with the Tsimlyansky water-engineering system (chief architect Leonid Polyakov), form part of an architectural ensemble
Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture , also referred to as Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism, is a term given to architecture of the Soviet Union between 1933, when Boris Iofan's draft for Palace of the Soviets was officially approved, and 1955, when Nikita Khrushchev condemned "excesses" of the past...
dedicated to the battles for Tsaritsyn during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
and for Stalingrad during the German-Soviet War. The Russian classical composer Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
wrote the tone poem The Meeting of the Volga and the Don to celebrate its completion.
According to the Maritime Board (Morskaya Kollegiya) of the Russian Government, 10.9 million tonnes of cargo were carried over the Volga–Don Canal in 2004.
An alternate (not necessarily comparable) source claims 8.05 million tonnes of cargo was transported through the canal in total in 2006. Most of the cargo was moved from the east to the west: namely, 7.20 million tonnes were transported through the canal from the Volga/Caspian basin to the Don/Sea of Azov/Black Sea basin, and only 0.85 million tonnes in the opposite direction. Just over half of all cargo was oil or oil products (4.14 million tonnes), predominantly shipped from the Caspian region.
It was reported in 2007 that in the first 55 years of the canal's operations 450,000 vessels had passed through carrying 336 million tonnes of cargo. Recent cargo volume stood at 12 million tonnes a year.
Future
In the 1980s, construction started on a second canal between the Volga and the Don. The new canal, dubbed Volga–Don 2 would start from the township of Yerzovka on the Volgograd ReservoirVolgograd Reservoir
The Volgograd Reservoir is a reservoir in Russia formed at the Volga River by the dam of the Volga Hydroelectric Station. It lies within the Volgograd Oblast and Saratov Oblast and named after the city of Volgograd. It was constructed during 1958-1961....
, north (upstream) of the Volga Dam
Volga Hydroelectric Station
The Volga Hydroelectric Station or Volga GES also known as the 22nd Congress of the CPSU Stalingrad/Volgograd Hydroelectric Power Station , is the largest hydroelectric station in Europe and is the last of the Volga-Kama Cascade of dams, before the Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea...
, as opposed to the existing Volga–Don Canal, which starts south (downstream) of the dam. This canal would reduce the number of locks that ships coming from the Volgograd Reservoir
Volgograd Reservoir
The Volgograd Reservoir is a reservoir in Russia formed at the Volga River by the dam of the Volga Hydroelectric Station. It lies within the Volgograd Oblast and Saratov Oblast and named after the city of Volgograd. It was constructed during 1958-1961....
– or from any other Volga or Kama
Kama River
Kama is a major river in Russia, the longest left tributary of the Volga and the largest one in discharge; in fact, it is larger than the Volga before junction....
port farther north – would have to traverse on their way to the Don. The project was abruptly canceled on the first of August 1990 due to financial considerations, although by that time more than 40 percent of allocated funds had already been spent. Since then most of the stone and metal in the abandoned canal and its locks has been looted.
As of 2007–2008, Russian authorities are considering two options for increasing the throughput of navigable waterways between the Caspian basin and the Black Sea. One option, for which the name "Volga–Don 2" has been reused, is to build a second parallel channel ("second thread") of the Volga–Don Canal, equipped with larger locks 300 metres (984.3 ft) long. This plan would allow for an increase in the canal's annual cargo throughput from 16.5 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes. The other option, which seems to have more support from Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
(who would be either canal's major customer), is to build the so-called Eurasia Canal
Eurasia Canal
The Eurasia Canal is a proposed 700-kilometre long canal connecting the Caspian Sea to the lower Black Sea along the Kuma-Manych Depression, which is often considered the border between Europe and Asia...
along a more southerly route in the Kuma–Manych Depression, some sections of which currently form part of the much shallower Manych Ship Canal
Manych Ship Canal
The Manych Ship Canal is an existing canal system between the basins of the Sea of Azov/Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. There are proposals to expand the system into a large canal called Eurasia Canal....
. Although the second option would require digging a longer canal than Volga–Don, and would be of less use to vessels coming from the Volga, it would provide a more direct connection between the Caspian and the Sea of Azov. The Eurasia Canal would also require fewer locks than the Volga–Don, as elevations in the Kuma–Manych Depression are lower than the Volga–Don area.