The lock entrance
from lake Östebo
In the lock waiting for
the bridge to open
The entrance and lake
Östebo seen from the lock
Bridge and lock
as seen from lake Ånimmen
Short history:
During the 18th century canals were prosed from lake Vänern and lake Stora Le, but also between lake Vänern and the lakes Ånimmen and Ärr. Everybody realized that a canal to Stora Le would be best, but also expensive and difficult to build. A canal to Ånimmen and Ärr would be fairly easy and much cheaper to accomplish.
In 1765 a proposal was sent to the Royal Committe for canals, but no desicion was taken.
People living by lake Ärr investigated the possibilities for a canal in 1826 and a proposal was sent to the Royal Committe, that in 1833 started a new investigation led by Nils Ericson. He found that a canal would cost 70 000SEK. A canal company was started in the area and this company promised to pay half that cost if the goverment payedthe other half. But this proposal had to wait as the government found that a canal to lake Stora Le was so much more important.
Later proposals didn't either get any money from the government and after a new refusal from the government in 1841 several works owners in the area built a wooden lock between Ärr and Ånimen and a horse drawn railroad at Snäcke.
This canal was of course not of the same quality as Dalsland canal that was opened in 1868. In 1872 and 1874 the privately owned Snäcke Kanal AB built a new canal here for 43 000SEK. There were locks at Strömmen and Snäcke. But the company went bancrupt after a few years and the canal was then bought by the newly started Snäcke Nya Kanal AB. This company is now a part of Dalsland Kanal AB.
In 1930 Snäcke canal was used by 600 ships.
Total length | Total elevation | Number of locks | Max boatlength | Max boatwidth | Max draught | Max height | Max speed |
17,4 km | 4,2 m | 2 | 21,0 m | 4,0 m | 1,9 m | 14,0 m | 5 knots |
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The lock entrance | In the lock waiting for | The entrance and lake | Bridge and lock |
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The entrance to the lock from lake Ånimmen | The lock-keeper has to manouver the locks by hand | The lock-keeper has to manouver the locks by hand | Waiting for the bridge to be opened |
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Entrance to the lock from lake Ärr | The stream by the lock | The regulating dam beside the lock | Genuine Swedish idyll! |
Henriksholm | The quartz mine |
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The manor Henriksholm at | Remnants of the quartz mine by the lake Ärr |
© Pictures by Bosse Arnholm, 2000
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