Kuurna canal

The first Kuurna canal 1874 - 1876
Boat canals without locks were built on the River Pielisjoki 1850 1853 and Kuurna was equipped with a towpath. Lock building was initiated in July 1874 together with canals in Utra and Häihä. The purpose was to open a waterway from Joensuu to Jakokoski and From Kaltimo (nowadays Eno) to Lake Pielinen.
When canal line was dug, it was observed that the ground was poorly examined. The whole canal line consisted of rock, thus it was decided to build the lock of stone. However, the stone was not strong enough and the lock was laid with chopped stones. The canal was opened on the 15.6.1876.

Kanalens dimensioner

Total length	Elevation	Number of locks	Length of locks	Usable length	Width of lock	Depth of lock
798 m	? m	1	35,6 m	? m	7,7 m	2,1 m

Water-filled lock.	Bridge over lock and upper gate.	Lower gate.

© Pictures by Kyllikki Kankkunen 1991

Lower gate. Picture: Kyllikki Kankkunen, 1991.	Canal area. Kuurna hydroelectric power plant in the background. Picture: Kyllikki Kankkunen, 1991.	The road leading to the old Kuurna canal. Picture: Riitta Kankkunen, 2001.

Road along the old canal.	A bollard a memento of the old canal.	Old canal upstreams. Canal line is still visible even though the lock is under the water.

© Photos by Riitta Kankkunen 2001

The second Kuurna canal 1968 - 1971
When a new canal and a hydroelectric power plant was built in Kaltimo (see Kaltimo canal), it was planned to improve the whole Pielisjoki route. A timber floating lock was needed in Kuurna. A dam would raise the water level and old locks upstreams would not be needed anymore. Building of a hydroelectric power plant was initiated on the 1.6.1967.

Building
Building of a lock was initiated in 1968. According to plans, it would be like the Kaltimo lock. The new Kuurna lock was opened in July 1971 together with a canal without locks in Utra.

Canal dimensions

Total längd	Total lyfthöjd	Antal slussar	Slussens längd	Nyttolängd	Slussens bredd	Slussens djup
? m	5,6 m	1	85 m	? m	16 m	2,4 m

Consequences caused by the new canal
An important consequence of the new Kuurna canal was that the old locks in Kuurna (the old canal) Paihola, Haapavirta, Jakokoski and Saapaskoski were taken out of use. Beach of Pielisjoki, and looks as well, changed along the water level. Large areas and even the old Kuurna lock and Paihola lock came under the water surface. When the Kuurna lock was finished, only three working canals were left: Kaltimo, Kuurna and Joensuu.

Old canal area. Picture: Riitta Kankkunen, 2001.	Old canal line is still visible. Picture: Riitta Kankkunen, 2001.	Forest and an old bollard on the canal island. Picture: Riitta Kankkunen, 2001.	Tugboat and a lumber boat leaving Kuurna lock and sailing upstreams toward Nurmes. Picture: Riitta Kankkunen, 1995.

© Pictures by Riitta Kankkunen, 2004

Film history
According to a Paihola village history book, Mr Pauli Kilpeläinen shot a short film on the River Pielisjoki from Kuurna to Joensuu in the 1950s. Film shows what the river looked like before the water level changed. This film is safe in the archives of the Finnish Film Archive.

Kuurna canals today
Kuurna timber floating lock was renovated a couple of years ago. It still looks the same as in 1971. The old Kuurna lock is under water. The shape of the canal line is visible and bollards remind us of an old lock. The canal area is equipped with a pier for boats.
Riitta Kankkunen © 2005

Do send comments or further information in Swedish or English to Bosse Arnholm or in Finnish, English or Swedish to Riitta Kankkunen.

This page was modified at