Strömsholm canal

This 110 kilometer fairway passes 14 lakes. It follows the Kolbäckå creek from Smedjebaken in the north to Strömsholm at lake Mälaren in the south. 12 kilometers are canalized.

Total length
Total elevation
Number of locks
Max boatlength
Max boatwidth
Max draught
Max free height
Max speed

110 km
100 m
26
18 m
5 m
1,35 m
2,5 m
4 knots

Skantzens flight of locks from downstreams
The top of Sörkvarn's flight och locks in Hallstahammar
The lock-keeper's lodge and the northern gates at Sörkvarn.


Sörstafors lock	Sörstafors lock

History:
Strömsholm canal was built to simplify transport of the important metals from Bergslagen to the exporthabrour Stockholm. Bergskollegium, the authority for mining, chosed Johan Ulfström for the project. Works started in 172 but took longer time then planned. Six years was planned, but the lack of money was great. This in spite the fact that king Gustav III contributed with private money. In 1787 Gusav III made a first inspectiontour on the then finished parts of the canal, but the whole canal was not finished until 1795.
The canal was very popular and the ships were bigger and bigger so between 1842 to 1860 the canal was enlarged at many places and some new locks were built too.
The canal was normally free from ice 8 months every year and during the 1890ies about 200 000 tons of goods and 13 000 passengers were transported every year. When the Stockholm - Westrås - Bergslagen railroad was opened the importance of the canal decreased. The last transports of goods were performed in 1948.
The most popular boat-type was "smedjebackarna", locally built sailing yachts, able to carry between 60 and 70 tons and they usually made 8 or 9 trips to Stockholm every season.
When commercial traffic ceased the canal fell in decay.
From 1962 to 1970 the canal was restored and has since then been used for touristtraffic. Further enhancements were made 1978 to make it easier for canoes and in 1984 passengerboats started traffic on the canal.

The canal has a web-site.
Borgåsund Harbourcafé and Guestharbour at the canal entrance from lake Mälaren has a web-site with further information about the canal.

Sources: The canal web-site, tourist-brouchures.
Do send comments or further information to Bosse Arnholm!

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Total length	Total elevation	Number of locks	Max boatlength	Max boatwidth	Max draught	Max free height	Max speed
110 km	100 m	26	18 m	5 m	1,35 m	2,5 m	4 knots


Skantzens flight of locks from downstreams	The top of Sörkvarn's flight och locks in Hallstahammar	The lock-keeper's lodge and the northern gates at Sörkvarn.