Coteau-du-Lac canal
Encyclopedia
Coteau-du-Lac Canal is an 18th Century military canal in Canada
located at the junction of the Delisle and Saint Lawrence River
s in Quebec
. The canal was the first work of its kind in North America, and is a national historic site. It is located in the town of Coteau-du-Lac
in Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality, Quebec
.
The American War of Independence (1775–1783) revealed a number of serious flaws in the British
defence system. The western frontier of the Canadian colony was protected by the military outposts on the Great Lakes
. However, these outposts were all the more vulnerable for being difficult to reach. Troop and merchandise transport via the Saint Lawrence River was seriously slowed by the rapids located upstream from Montreal
. In particular, the rapids at Coteau-du-Lac were the most difficult to get past and skirting the rapids by going inland prolonged supply times. To accelerate shipment of military supplies westward, Governor
Frederick Haldimand
ordered for a canal
to be dug at Coteau-du-Lac.
The construction of the canal at Coteau-du-Lac began in 1779 under the control of Captain William Twiss
. The King's Royal Regiment of New York
were mobilised to dig the canal.
When construction was completed On February 15, 1781, the lock system was approximately 100 metres long and 2.5 metres wide. Each of the three locks was 12 m long and 1.8 m wide, with draft measuring close to 80 cm. Taken together, these locks compensated for a drop of about 2 m between the head and the bottom of the rapids.
Today, water no longer flows around the site or through the canal owing to a drop in water levels due to the building of hydroelectric
dam
s, the building of newer dams, and other modern development.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
located at the junction of the Delisle and Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
s in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The canal was the first work of its kind in North America, and is a national historic site. It is located in the town of Coteau-du-Lac
Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec
Coteau-du-Lac is a small town in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality....
in Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality, Quebec
-References:...
.
The American War of Independence (1775–1783) revealed a number of serious flaws in the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
defence system. The western frontier of the Canadian colony was protected by the military outposts on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. However, these outposts were all the more vulnerable for being difficult to reach. Troop and merchandise transport via the Saint Lawrence River was seriously slowed by the rapids located upstream from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In particular, the rapids at Coteau-du-Lac were the most difficult to get past and skirting the rapids by going inland prolonged supply times. To accelerate shipment of military supplies westward, Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Frederick Haldimand
Frederick Haldimand
Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB was a military officer best known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...
ordered for a canal
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:...
to be dug at Coteau-du-Lac.
The construction of the canal at Coteau-du-Lac began in 1779 under the control of Captain William Twiss
William Twiss
General William Twiss, , was a British Army Royal Engineer, responsible for the design of many military defenses.Probably born in Kent in 1744 or 1755, Twiss worked in the ordnance office at the Tower of London from 1760, before becoming overseer of works at Gibraltar. Receiving a commission in...
. The King's Royal Regiment of New York
King's Royal Regiment of New York
The King's Royal Regiment of New York was one of the first Loyalist regiments raised in Canada during the American Revolutionary War....
were mobilised to dig the canal.
When construction was completed On February 15, 1781, the lock system was approximately 100 metres long and 2.5 metres wide. Each of the three locks was 12 m long and 1.8 m wide, with draft measuring close to 80 cm. Taken together, these locks compensated for a drop of about 2 m between the head and the bottom of the rapids.
Today, water no longer flows around the site or through the canal owing to a drop in water levels due to the building of hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s, the building of newer dams, and other modern development.