Ede/Stöde canal
Canalized part of river Ljungan between Stödesjön and Torpsjön.
History:
In older days the transport-route from Sundsvall at the Baltic Sea to Levanger in Norway had an immense importance. The route used boat transports on every possible river and lake, and transport over land only where absolutely nessecary. In Sweden it used River Ljungan as much as possible, but by Edeforsen between the lakes Stödesjön and Torpsjön the goods had to be transported over land beside the river.
During the 19th century this route was improved in many parts.
Captain Claes Adelsköld surveyed the route between Södersjön and Torpsjön and proposed a 750 meter canal with 2 locks by Edeforsen and several other improvements along the fairway. The decission to build the canal was taken 1862 and the works started in 1864. The work was completed in 1870.
The canal had a great importance for the area, but it was short-lived. In 1875 a new railway between Sundsvall and Torpshammar was ready for use and after that there was no use of the canal. In 1877 all traffic was stopped at the canal and from 1880 all maintenance stopped too.
Today one part of the canal supplies the Ederfors powerplant with water. The powerplant is built on the downstream lock. As late as in the 1970ies you could stíll see some pieces of the upstream lock beneath the water surface, but today everything is gone.
Sources: Yngve Rollofs Sveriges Inre Vattenvägar, del 2 1978.
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