- Soulanges Canal
The Soulanges Canal is an abandoned shipping canal in Quebec, Canada. It follows the north shore of the
Saint Lawrence River , bypassing the rapids betweenLake Saint-Louis and Lake Saint-Francis. It superseded the firstBeauharnois Canal which was on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence. It is convert|23|km|mi long and had a convert|4.3|m|ft|1 draught. Five locks measuring m to ft|85.3|abbr=yes x m to ft|14|abbr=yes give a total rise of m to ft|25.Operation of the Soulanges Canal was powered by a small hydro electric generating station. "Le Petit Pouvoir" is located near the middle of the canal and provided power for the motorized lock gates, electrical operation of the swing bridges, and illumination for the entire length of the canal at night. It was the first canal in the world to have its entire passageway lit by night, allowing round-the-clock operation. [cite web | title=A Fascinating History | work=Musée des Deux-Rives (English) | url=http://www.museedesdeuxrives.com/e-0301.html | accessdate=2007-10-18] It opened in 1899 and remained in operation until 1958 when it was in turn superseded by an enlarged
Beauharnois Canal which is now part part of theSaint Lawrence Seaway .Today, a popular cycling path follows the route of the canal. [cite web | title=Montérégie Cycling Trails: Soulanges Canal | work=MontrealPlus.ca | url=http://english.montrealplus.ca/feature/crazy_for_cycling/8536/trails_soulanges.jsp | accessdate=2007-10-18] There are plans to reopen the canal to pleasure boats. The mission of the Régie intermunicipale du canal de Soulanges is to manage the development of a tourism development as part of the reopening of the canal. [cite web | title=Port Soulanges | work=Régie intermunicipale du canal de Soulanges website | url=http://www.canalsoulanges.com/default2.htm | accessdate=2007-10-18]
References
External links
* Google Satellite image of the eastern (downstream) end of the canal. [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=clifton&sll=53.452366,-2.354493&sspn=0.161103,0.458679&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=45.331724,-73.965111&spn=0.013275,0.028839&z=15]
* Canadian Canal Society [http://www.canadiancanalsociety.org]
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