Svartsundsrännan

Svartsundsrännan is between the island Svartön or Skatön and the mainland in the archipelago of Söderhamn. In the 14th century this was an important route for sea transport.
Landelevation has made it more and more shallow and since the mid 18th century it has been dredged several times.

History:
From the beginning it was a natural sound between Svartön and the mainland, fairly wide and open for ships. It was an important route for ships in the 14th century and it is known that the archbishop Birger Gregersson passed it on his examinationtour on October 17 1374.
Landelevation decreased both depth and width so much that many dredgings had to be done. The first known dredging was made in the 1840ies.
En new clearing up was made 1871 and after that the "Canal Society" got a Royal privilege to take fees from passing boats.
In 1928 the a new clearing up was made and this time the sides got concrete walls all along, whick made it a canal.
Further clearings were made in the 1950ies and 1985.

At the annual meeting with Söderhamns Kust & Skärgårdsförening, The Söderhamn Coast and Archipelago Society, it was proposed that the canals should be cleared up once again. The board appointed a committé to investigate the possibilities and at the autum meeting a proposal for restoration was presented. This proposal was based on an investigation made in 1968. The meeting apporoved the proposal.
In 2005 the consequencies for the environment was investigated and in November 2005 the porject was approved by the High Court for Environment.
During November and December 2005 the Society started a subscription that collected 300 000 SEK and on January 9 2006 dredging of the canal started.. In spite of unexpected difficulties the re-inauguration of the canal could be held on June 10 2006 as planned. In August the same year the area along the canal was planted and finished in a nice way and the northern entrance to the canal dredged. Dredging of the southern entrance is planned for autumn 2007.
The whole project will cost 4,3 million SEK, money that the Society will find through sponsoring and subscriptions.

Total length
Length
Width
Depth
Max free heigth
Max speed

Cirka 300 m
300 m
6 m
2 m
3 m
3 knots

A picture from the canal shot before 1928.
A picture from the restoration in 1928.
The old bridge on a picture either from the late 1940ies or the early 1950ies.

The canal seen from south in 2004 before restoration started.
A picture from the re-inauguration June 10 2006.

Source: Söderhamns Kust & Skärgårdsförenings website.
Do send comments or further information to Bosse Arnholm!

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Total length	Length	Width	Depth	Max free heigth	Max speed
Cirka 300 m	300 m	6 m	2 m	3 m	3 knots


A picture from the canal shot before 1928.	A picture from the restoration in 1928.	The old bridge on a picture either from the late 1940ies or the early 1950ies.


The canal seen from south in 2004 before restoration started.	A picture from the re-inauguration June 10 2006.