Utra canal and Arppe's lock

This link takes you to a map with Arppes lock. With permission 48/MML/08.
This link takes you to a map with Utra canal. With permission 48/MML/08.

Arppes lock 1832 (?)
The rapid Utrankoski has been very important for Finnish hydraulic engineering. In the 1780s, significant projects were implemented when Martti Stenius founded the first sawmill in Utra.
In 1824, the young Nils Ludvig Arppe (1803 - 1861) bought a share of the Utra sawmill. He realised very soon that river Pielisjoki is a great opportunity for saw industry even though rapids were difficult and shallow. Alongside with building a new sawmill in Kuurnankoski (1832 1834), a lock was built in Utra. Lock building required special competence and Arppe is known to have hired professional supervisors, who were trained by the state.
Apart from short notices, very little is known about lock building and its appearance because there are no official documents. Those days, no permission was needed for building a lock. Permission was necessary only when a whole waterway was closed or if a lock hindered traffic or cleaning the river. Arppes lock was made of wood and stone. Its length was about 40 metres (131) and breadth about 6 metres (20).
Arppes lock was used only a few years. People living along the river saw that the dam in Kuurna hindered transport and fishing. In 1848, Arppe had to either demolish the sawmill in Kuurna or he had to move it. He decided to demolish the place in 1850. Thus, the lock was not needed for transportation. In 1853, a boat canal was opened in Utra and the Arppes lock was closed.

Arppes lock today
Today, only some stony walls and bottom planks remain, as the pictures show. The lock chamber is above water level; in 1970s, the Utrankoski rapid disappeared due to building of the Kuurna hydroelectric power plant.

The lock is above water level.	Stonework from 1832.	Bottom planks.

© Photos 2004 Riitta Kankkunen

Utra canal, Utra boat canal 1850 - 1853
In 1853, a boat canal without locks was built in Utra. The length of this canal was 260 metres (853') and about 3.6 metres (12') wide.

Utra lock 1874 - 1875
Building of locks was initiated in July 1874 in Utra, Kuurna and Häihä. It was aimed at opening a route from Joensuu to Jakokoski and from Lake Pielinen to Kaltimo in municipality of Eno. A new wooden lock in Utra was built on the old boat canal. In April 1875, the old boat canal had been broadened enough, the lock and buildings for the canal keeper were finished as well. A swing bridge was built over the lock. This bridge enabled transport to Utra sawmill. The Utra canal was opened for traffic on 9.7.1875.

Canal dimensions

Total length	Total elevation	Number of locks	Length of lock	Lock width	Depth of lock
414 METER 1358'	?	1	35,5 m 117'	7,7 m 25'	2,1 m 7'

Utra timber floating lock 1948 - 1951
In 1948, building of a timber floating lock was initiated in Utra. The old lock was replaced with a new one. The new lock was temporarily opened for traffic on 12.6.1951. On 31.8.1951, the lock was officially inaugurated.
The lock chamber was made of concrete. It was equipped with horizontal sector gates made of iron. The lock was filled and emptied by opening the gates, in other words, it had no separate lock filling and emptying systems. The gates were steered electronically from the canal tower. Total costs of the Utra canal were 111 million Finnish marks.
When Kuurna timber floating lock was taken into use in 1971, the Utra lock was not needed anymore.

Canal dimensions

Total length	Total elevation	Number of locks	Length of lock	Lock width	Depth of lock
414 METER 1358'	?	1	175 m 574'	26 m 26'	2,5 m 8'

Utra canal today
Utra timber floating lock is still left. The lock and the gates are in quite a good condition but the canal tower has been vandalised for example by breaking almost all windows. The City of Joensuu owns the Utra canal area. It is an important object of protection and it is not allowed to change its looks.

Timber floating lock	A bridge over the lock.	An open gate and a temporary bridge.	Canal tower.

© Photos 1982 Riitta Kankkunen

Timber floating lock in summer 2004.	Canal tower	Bridge	Lock towards upper gate.

© Photos 2004 Riitta Kankkunen

© Photos 2004 Riitta Kankkunen

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