Nesterinsaari canal
Nesterinsaaren kanava

Kaltimo is one of the Pielisjoki canals that has been rebuilt. The old canal is located near the centre of Eno.
See: Click here With permission 48/MML/08

The new canal is a timber floating lock and located a few kilometres south of Eno centre.
See: Click here With permission 48/MML/08

The first Kaltimo canal 1876 - 1879
Building of the first Kaltimo canal was initiated on June 1, 1878. Kaltimo was the biggest individual piecework during the canalising of Pielisjoki with over 400 employees. Canal line crossed three rapids on the east side of the river. An embankment was built between the rapids and mainland in order to prevent the stream from making sailing difficult.
In 1877, a water wheel was assembled to the middle rapid called Keski-Kaltimon koski in Finnish. The water wheel generated electricity for drainage pumps during the digging of the canal. According to the original plan, the canal should have been equipped with two different locks. Instead, a lock with two chambers was actually built. The locks were made of stone, not of wood as it was planned. The stone was of high quality and enabled quarrying of the lock walls and four of the totally six miter gate recesses. The walls of the lock were made of bricks in case the stone was too low.
A kanal keepers house and other buildings were built on a narrow island between the rapid and the canal. A swing bridge was built over the canal. The Kaltimo canal was opened in July 1879.

Dimensions

Total length
Total elevation
Number of locks
Legnth of lock
Width of lock
Depth of lock

2166 m
? m
2
35,6 m
7,7 m
2,1 m

Canal line towards the lock. Old stone paving is still visible. The water level is much higher than in 1879. Mainland is on the left.
Canal line towards upstream and road to Eno centre. A basin for meeting ships is seen behind the birches.
Current bridge between mainland and embankment. The road is on the left.

The road is very narrow. Canal line is on the left. The rapid was on the right.
Canal keepers house.
The upper lock is still seen above the water level.

A miter gate recess and railing.
The lock towards downstream. The lower lock chamber is under water.
The wall of the lower lock chamber is visible under water.
A miter gate recess between two lock chambers.

The old lock and stone paving in spring 1995.
Current Kaltimo timber floating lock, canal tower, lower gate and bridge over the canal.
The lock towards upstream and the upper gate. In summer 2004, the water level was very high.
Channel towards the old Kaltimo lock, Koli and Nurmes.

The hydroelectric plant and the current lock.
The current lock and canal keepers house.
The canal keeper's house.
The upper gate and the hydroelectric plant.

The lock close to the canal keepers house.
The lower gate. The construction is visible here. The gate is lift when a boat sails in or out. It is not allowed to walk on the gate.
The support pillar of the lower gate.
The dam of the hydroelectric plant is open. The level of the water was very high in summer 2004.

The channel towards the City of Joensuu.

Karelia soutu is an importent summer event in North Karelia. Some rowers are entering the Kaltimo lock.
Some rowers are entering the Kaltimo lock
All the churchboats in the lock.
The water lowers slowly.

The boats have left the lock and continue towards Joensuu.
Kaltimo hydroelectric power plant.
Excessive water released through the dam.
Lock gate in a close-up photo.

The second Kaltimo canal 1956 - 1959
The need for electricity of manufacturing industry increased and hydropower was eagerly built in Finland. At the same time, it was seen that without the old canals it would be easier to float timber. In the middle of the 1950s, Oy Kaukas Ab decided to build a hydroelectric power plant in Kaltimo. This project required that water levels had to be changed which had a powerful influence on the old Pielisjoki canals located towards the City of Nurmes. According to the plan, a dam for the hydroelectric power plant was built over the old Nesterinsaari canal (see Nesterinsaari canal).
The water level rose and the old Kaltimo locks and Häihä lock (see Häihä canal) were disused. The new power plant was equipped with a lock suitable for timber floating. Planning and building of the new Kaltimo lock was implemented in quite a short time. The plan was made by The Road and Waterways Administration and Helsinki University of Technology in spring 1956.
Shortly afterwards, building of the power plant began. In fall 1956, building of the lock was initiated. According to the plan, a lock suitable for timber floating was built next to the hydroelectric power plant. The length of the lock was 85 metres and breadth 16 metres. The new lock was only 50% of the length of the Utra lock (see Utra canal) but its breadth was double compared with the Utra lock. Volume and efficiency of these locks were identical. Due to the massive lifting height (9,1 metres), the construction of gates was an important issue in Kaltimo. Segmental gates with horizontal axels were chosen. Tests with this type of gates had been done in Germany in the 1950s. However, it was seen that these gates are better than the sector gates because the high lifting height. The lower gate is lift and the upper gate is sunk into a separate chamber located in the canal bed. When the lock was built, channels for example in Häihänkoski and Paukkaja rapids above the Kaltimo lock were dredged. The new lock was opened for traffic in spring 1959. The total costs of the lock and dredging was 640 million Finnish Marks.

Dimensions

Total length
Total elevation
Number of locks
Length of lock
Width of lock
Depth of lock

? m
9,1 m
1
85 m
16 m
2,4 m

Kaltimo canals today
The old Kaltimo lock is still there but the gates have been removed. The lower lock chamber is below the water level but the upper one is visible above the water. The canal keepers house and the bank between the former rapid and the canal are well maintained. The lock chamber is used as a channel to a landing stage. The channel has been equipped with spar buoys but the stream is very heavy.
During the last few years, houses have been built on the mainland near the canal. In summer, concerts and theatrical performances are arranged on the canal island.
The current Kaltimo canal is in heavy use during the sailing season. Despite some repairs and normal maintenance, the outlook of the lock has not been changed.

Sources: Myllykylä T. Suomen kanavien historia. Helsinki: Otava; 1991. Riitta Kankkunens visits.
Do send comments or further information in Swedish or English to Bosse Arnholm or in Finnish, English or Swedish to Riitta Kankkunen.

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Total length	Total elevation	Number of locks	Legnth of lock	Width of lock	Depth of lock
2166 m	? m	2	35,6 m	7,7 m	2,1 m


Canal line towards the lock. Old stone paving is still visible. The water level is much higher than in 1879. Mainland is on the left.	Canal line towards upstream and road to Eno centre. A basin for meeting ships is seen behind the birches.	Current bridge between mainland and embankment. The road is on the left.


The road is very narrow. Canal line is on the left. The rapid was on the right.	Canal keepers house.	The upper lock is still seen above the water level.


A miter gate recess and railing.	The lock towards downstream. The lower lock chamber is under water.	The wall of the lower lock chamber is visible under water.	A miter gate recess between two lock chambers.


The old lock and stone paving in spring 1995.	Current Kaltimo timber floating lock, canal tower, lower gate and bridge over the canal.	The lock towards upstream and the upper gate. In summer 2004, the water level was very high.	Channel towards the old Kaltimo lock, Koli and Nurmes.


The hydroelectric plant and the current lock.	The current lock and canal keepers house.	The canal keeper's house.	The upper gate and the hydroelectric plant.


The lock close to the canal keepers house.	The lower gate. The construction is visible here. The gate is lift when a boat sails in or out. It is not allowed to walk on the gate.	The support pillar of the lower gate.	The dam of the hydroelectric plant is open. The level of the water was very high in summer 2004.


Karelia soutu is an importent summer event in North Karelia. Some rowers are entering the Kaltimo lock.	Some rowers are entering the Kaltimo lock	All the churchboats in the lock.	The water lowers slowly.


The boats have left the lock and continue towards Joensuu.	Kaltimo hydroelectric power plant.	Excessive water released through the dam.	Lock gate in a close-up photo.

Nesterinsaari canal Nesterinsaaren kanava

Nesterinsaari canal
Nesterinsaaren kanava