Bräskaforsen canal

Canal between Storvindeln and Nedre Gautsträsk at Forsnäs

History:
The works on a canal through Bräskaforsen at Forsnäs was started in 1916. First a damm was built upstreams and with the water away the work to dig the canal by hand started.
They did not get so far. The damm was built during the winter . There was ice. When spring came with melting ice and high waters, the damm broke down and water flowed through. The 30 men working were saved, but no more work was possible that season.
Now they bought a steampowered showel and with great effort brought it from the south of Sweden to Bräskaforsen, and placed it onto a ponton.
But this machine saved a lot of work. Now three men could do the work of 30!
The canal was finished in 1918 or possibly 1919. It was 350 meters long, 12 meters wide at the bottom and the depth was between 1,5 and 2 meters. There were no locks.
Foreman was Karl August Eriksson from Sorsele.

This canal joined two lakes and created a fairway of about 60 kilometers.
When finished with the canal, the foreman built a six meter long steamer and started regular traffic between Sorsele and Gillesnoule. In 1920 he built a bigger, 12 meter long boat. In 1921 he sold the boat to Johan H Karlsson who christened the boat Älvkungen and used until 1938.
The new boat Älvkungen, used nowadays for trips in the area is built almost exactly like the old one.

The modern Älvkungen
The modern Älvkungen
The modern Älvkungen

View southwards of Bräskaforsen towards Gautsträsk
View towards east.
Northward view towards Storvindeln.

Further upstreams, view southwards.
Genuine Lapp in Forsnäs
One of few houses in Forsnäs. There used to be a school in Forsnäs.

The old Älvkungen by Bröllopsgården, The Marriage House
The power showel that dug Bräskaforsen
The old Älvkungen during a wedding. The couple was Nanny Ögren and Johan Karlsson. The picture was shot 1923.

These pictures are old clips from newspapers

Source: Yngve Rollof, Sveriges Inre Vattenvägar, part 2 1978.
Do send comments or further information to Bosse Arnholm!

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The modern Älvkungen	The modern Älvkungen	The modern Älvkungen


View southwards of Bräskaforsen towards Gautsträsk	View towards east.	Northward view towards Storvindeln.


Further upstreams, view southwards.	Genuine Lapp in Forsnäs	One of few houses in Forsnäs. There used to be a school in Forsnäs.


The old Älvkungen by Bröllopsgården, The Marriage House	The power showel that dug Bräskaforsen	The old Älvkungen during a wedding. The couple was Nanny Ögren and Johan Karlsson. The picture was shot 1923.