The Dalsland Canal
The idea of a canal to link the interior of Dalsland and southern Värmland to the Vänern lake and the west coast first emerged in the 1700s. The plans took on a more solid form at the beginning of the 1800s and, after a long decision-making process, work on the canal began in 1865.
The well-known railway builder Nils Ericsson was appointed to carry out the construction work. The work progressed more quickly than planned and the canal was completed by 1866. The canal was opened on 19 September 1868, a year of famine. The canal became a means of communication linking several lakes by means of short excavated or blasted out canal routes which were provided with locks. From the Vänern lake it was now possible to travel further inland at Köpmannebro, past Dals Långed and Bengtsfors to Gustavsfors and further up Värmland to Årjäng or via Lennartsfors to Töcksfors or Dals Ed.
The aim of the canal was to serve as a means of transport for the many ironworks in Dalsland and south-west Värmland. However, the canal did not end up playing a decisive role in these industries. Changes in the market, including greater competition from England, meant that most ironworks were wound up at the end of the 1800s. However, the canal subsequently became more important and was occasionally directly decisive for the location of the industries that replaced the ironworks, particularly forestry industries and sawmills. As well as serving as a means of transportation of goods, the canal was also important for carrying mail right up to the beginning of the 1900s. The use of houseboats also became more popular after the canal was built.
Use of the canal was at its peak from 1868 to around 1895, after which goods freight fell away dramatically. This was due to greater competition brought about by the construction of the road and rail networks.
Dalslands Kanal AB
Kyrkogatan 14
662 31 Åmål
Tel:
+46 (0)532 – 104 66
Fax:
+46 (0)532 – 104 77
E-mail:
Website:
| Built in: | 1864-1868 |
| Length of the canal: | 250 km, 10 km excavated |
| Number of locks: | 31 |
| Difference in levels: | 66 m |
| Number of guest harbours: | 17 guest harbours for leisure craft, 120 camping sites for canoeists |
| Maximum dimensions for boats: | Width: 4.05 m; length: 22.75 m; depth: 1.8 m; height: 17 m to Lennartsfors, 15 m thereafter |
| Chart: | Boat sport chart for the Göta Canal and the Trollhättan Canal, Mem-Gothenburg, with Lake Vättern and south of Lake Vänern. Sjöfartsverket |
| Recommended number of days to pass through the canal: | 4-7 days |
