Northern Dvina Canal
Encyclopedia
The Northern Dvina Canal is a 64 km long canal
in Vologda Oblast
in Russia. It connects the Volga-Baltic Waterway
to the Northern Dvina River through its tributary, the Sukhona River
. The Northern Dvina Canal is one of the two canals (the other one being the Northern Ekaterininsky Canal
) connecting the river basins of the Volga and the Northern Dvina.
At its western end the Northern Dvina Canal starts at the Sheksna River
(a part of the Volga-Baltic Waterway), 10 km south of the town of Kirillov. The canal runs north towards Lake Siverskoye and the town of Kirillov. From Kirillov, the canal turns northeast through a series of small lakes, including Lake Pokrovskoye, Lake Zaulomskoye, and Lake Kishemskoye. To the east of Lake Kishemskoye, the canal joins the valley of the Itkla and follows it until it joins the Porozovitsa River. At this point, the canal gradually turns southeast and ends up in the northwestern end of Lake Kubenskoye
. The lake is the source of the Sukhona River.
There are six locks
on the canal, all made of wood. One of the locks is located in the southern part of the town of Kirillov.
The canal is still in operation and supports occasional cruise and cargo traffic.
was the main Russian harbor used for foreign trade. In 1703, Saint Petersburg
was founded, and Peter the Great issued a number of decrees limiting capacities of Arkhangelsk as a sea port and intended to reroute foreign trade to the Baltic Sea
. Arkhangelsk was fully restored as a sea port in 1762, and thus water connections between the Northern Dvina basin and central Russia were badly needed. In 1798, the research started on the best route for a canal connecting the Sheksna and Lake Kubenskoye.
In the end of 19th century, the North Ekaterininsky Canal was considered to be more important, and the project was shelved. However, the North Ekaterininsky Canal proved inefficient for a number of reasons and was finally closed in 1838. On the other side, the Napoleonic wars
blocked the access of Russia to Europe via the Baltic Sea, and for some time Arkhangelsk has again become the most important foreign trade harbor, and shipbuilding was an important economy branch there. In 1823, research was double-checked, and in 1824, the construction started. The canal was open in 1828 and got the name of Alexander of Württemberg Canal, after the Russian minister of transportation in 1822-1833, Duke Alexander Friedrich of Württemberg..
Subsequently, maintenance works were performed. In 1834, a dam on the Sukhona was constructed to stabilize the level of Lake Kubenskoye. In 1884, the reconstruction of the canal (four of the locks were demolished) increased the maximum size of the ships which could use the canal. Finally, one more reconstruction was performed between 1916 and 1921. After the reconstruction, the name of the canal was changed to avoid any mention of the royal family.
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:...
in Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is Vologda. The largest city is Cherepovets.Vologda Oblast is rich in historic monuments, such as the magnificent Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Ferapontov Convent , medieval towns of Velikiy Ustyug and Belozersk, baroque...
in Russia. It connects the Volga-Baltic Waterway
Volga-Baltic Waterway
The Volga–Baltic Waterway, formerly known as the Mariinsk Canal System , is a series of canals and rivers in Russia which link the Volga River with the Baltic Sea...
to the Northern Dvina River through its tributary, the Sukhona River
Sukhona River
The Sukhona is a river in the European pert of Russia, a tributary of the Northern Dvina River. The course of the Sukhona lies in Ust-Kubinsky, Sokolsky, Mezhdurechensky, Totemsky, Tarnogsky, Nyuksensky, and Velikoustyugsky Districts of Vologda Oblast in Russia. It is long, and the area of its...
. The Northern Dvina Canal is one of the two canals (the other one being the Northern Ekaterininsky Canal
Northern Ekaterininsky Canal
Northern Ekaterininsky Canal , or Catherine's Canal is an abandoned canal in the Komi Republic and Perm Oblast in northern Russia, connecting the basin of the Northern Dvina with that of the Kama, a tributary of the Volga.- History :...
) connecting the river basins of the Volga and the Northern Dvina.
At its western end the Northern Dvina Canal starts at the Sheksna River
Sheksna River
The Sheksna is a river in Belozersky, Kirillovsky, Sheksninsky, and Cherepovetsky Districts of Vologda Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Volga River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
(a part of the Volga-Baltic Waterway), 10 km south of the town of Kirillov. The canal runs north towards Lake Siverskoye and the town of Kirillov. From Kirillov, the canal turns northeast through a series of small lakes, including Lake Pokrovskoye, Lake Zaulomskoye, and Lake Kishemskoye. To the east of Lake Kishemskoye, the canal joins the valley of the Itkla and follows it until it joins the Porozovitsa River. At this point, the canal gradually turns southeast and ends up in the northwestern end of Lake Kubenskoye
Lake Kubenskoye
Kubenskoe Lake is a large and shallow lake in Vologda Oblast of Russia, situated at the height of 109 metres above mean sea level, stretching for 60 km from north-west to south-east....
. The lake is the source of the Sukhona River.
There are six 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...
on the canal, all made of wood. One of the locks is located in the southern part of the town of Kirillov.
The canal is still in operation and supports occasional cruise and cargo traffic.
History
Until 1703, the Northern Dvina was the main waterway connecting Russia and Europe, and ArkhangelskArkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
was the main Russian harbor used for foreign trade. In 1703, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
was founded, and Peter the Great issued a number of decrees limiting capacities of Arkhangelsk as a sea port and intended to reroute foreign trade to the Baltic Sea
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...
. Arkhangelsk was fully restored as a sea port in 1762, and thus water connections between the Northern Dvina basin and central Russia were badly needed. In 1798, the research started on the best route for a canal connecting the Sheksna and Lake Kubenskoye.
In the end of 19th century, the North Ekaterininsky Canal was considered to be more important, and the project was shelved. However, the North Ekaterininsky Canal proved inefficient for a number of reasons and was finally closed in 1838. On the other side, the Napoleonic wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
blocked the access of Russia to Europe via the Baltic Sea, and for some time Arkhangelsk has again become the most important foreign trade harbor, and shipbuilding was an important economy branch there. In 1823, research was double-checked, and in 1824, the construction started. The canal was open in 1828 and got the name of Alexander of Württemberg Canal, after the Russian minister of transportation in 1822-1833, Duke Alexander Friedrich of Württemberg..
Subsequently, maintenance works were performed. In 1834, a dam on the Sukhona was constructed to stabilize the level of Lake Kubenskoye. In 1884, the reconstruction of the canal (four of the locks were demolished) increased the maximum size of the ships which could use the canal. Finally, one more reconstruction was performed between 1916 and 1921. After the reconstruction, the name of the canal was changed to avoid any mention of the royal family.