On the territory of Russia there are far from young artificial water systems and canals. Unfortunately, this topic is not advertised even among historians. Although, the scale of work in them is such that it is high time to show these large-scale construction projects of the past or to raise them to the rank of "Treasures of the history of the country." But you will not find any detailed information about them. These objects include the Ladoga Canals, which are part of an even larger system.
As you can see, a canal runs from the Volkhov River to the Neva River along the shore of Lake Ladoga. The question immediately arises: why duplicate the water communication with a canal, if you can swim along the river into the lake itself and then go out to the Neva? Or why not connect the Volkhov settlement with the Kobon River? Even through the gateways? It would be much shorter. Let's take a look and understand.
We go into google-maps and see that there are two channels running along Lake Ladoga. They also have names: Staroladozhsky and Novoladozhsky:
Link to google map.
Another map of this channel.
The construction of the Ladoga Canal began in 1719, during the reign of Peter I. At that time, Tsar Peter's desire to trade with Europe in the Baltic required the expansion of communication lines, especially waterways. One of the sections of the Vyshnevolotsk waterway, connecting the Volga with the Baltic Sea, passed through Lake Ladoga. This section was one of the most difficult and dangerous: frequent storm winds on the lake caused the death of hundreds of ships with cargo. In the decree of November 18, 1718, Peter I says:
Promotional video:
"What a great loss for all years is being repaired on Lake Ladoga from thin ships, and that in one summer a thousand ships were lost …".
In this regard, on the initiative of Peter, the construction of a bypass route connecting the Volkhov and the Neva began. The length of the canal according to the project was 111 kilometers, it began near the city of Novaya Ladoga and ended in Shlisselburg, where the Neva originates from Lake Ladoga. According to the project, it was supposed to be without locks, 2.1 m deep below the level of Lake Ladoga.
This is how historians represent it:
After the delay in work by the original contractor Skornyakov-Pisarev and after his removal from this construction site, in the summer of 1725, both civilian workers (7 thousand people) and soldiers of the regular army (18 thousand people) were involved in the construction. On October 22, 1730, under the leadership of General Minich, the construction of the canal was completed, and in the spring of 1731 ships began to sail along it. The construction and reconstruction of the locks went on until 1833.
Currently, the Staroladozhsky canal is unsuitable for navigation, it is almost completely overgrown and looks like a canal only in the vicinity of Shlisselburg and Novaya Ladoga. The Novoladozhsky Canal is used for the movement of small vessels.
The Novoladozhsky Canal (of Emperor Alexander II) is a non-lock waterway along the southern shore of Lake Ladoga, connecting the Volkhov and Neva rivers. Built in 5 years, from 1861 to 1866, parallel to the shallow and dilapidated Old Ladoga Canal of the times of Peter I. Before the October Revolution it was named after the Emperor Alexander II the Liberator.
In 1826, due to a severe drought, navigation on the Old Ladoga Canal was completely stopped and therefore new granite locks were built in Shlisselburg. In Novaya Ladoga, steam pumps were installed (with a capacity of 310 m³ per day), which pumped water from Volkhov to the canal.
In the same year, surveys were carried out and several projects for deepening the canal were drawn up. But not a single contractor took on the work. In this regard, the Department of Land and Waterways decided to build a new canal on its own, but without locks and with dimensions: width on the mirror ~ 36 m, along the bottom - 26 m, depth at the lowest level in the lake - 1.8 m …
Construction began on May 28, 1861, and on September 1, 1866, the canal was opened to traffic. The new canal was named Novoladozhsky, it runs parallel to the old one, closer to Lake Ladoga. The length is 110 km. The estimated cost is 4.6 million rubles. At present, the Novoladozhsky Canal is used for the movement of small displacement vessels and for the layering of larger vessels during the inter-navigation period.
Having looked at these two channels on Google maps, I saw that they go much east of the Vokhov River - to the tributaries of the Svir River! It turns out that the old maps are not accurate, or have both the Staro-Ladoga Canal been extended?
But in any case, this is already a connection with Lake Onega! The Onega Canal runs along the southern shore of the lake! And it was laid to the Vytegr River, which is related to the Volga-Baltic Canal along the Kovzha River. Also, the Vytegr (Kovzha) River to the south, in the area of Lake Beloye, has a bypass canal and around it (Belozersky Canal). To the south of Lake Beloye flows the Sheksna River, which flows into the Rybinsk Reservoir. Well, this is the Volga! This is such a water transport system. And the name is: Mariinsky water system. Not all of it is modern. But I'll tell you about these channels sometime next time. For now, let's return to the Ladoga Canals. I will only add that anyone can follow this waterway. Yes, and it will not be difficult to swim. Everything is shipping.
The logic of the bypass channels is as follows: for small ships storms on the lakes were previously very terrible, and the channel itself is a reliable fairway. The only thing is, the volume of construction by hand on such a scale is simply fantastic. In addition to the number of people who participated in the construction, there is no data. And this is alarming.
I propose to trace the path of the Ladoga canals from the east, from the Svir River to the Neva River (in the opposite direction of their construction).
Link to google map.
Striped fields are reclamation channels, drainage, and maybe peat extraction. To the north is the Novoladozhsky Canal. To the south - Staroladozhsky.
This is the view of the Staroladozhsky channel in this place. The question is: why was it not expanded, deepened, but a new one was dug, parallel to the old one? After all, it would be possible to block the canal in sections, drain and reconstruct? Is the elevation difference not suitable? I did not notice this (from the pictures below). Or were there two channels initially?
Moving west:
The old bridge over the Staro-Ladoga canal in the village of Zagubye.
The height of the banks is very decent. Can you imagine the amount of earthwork? Without technology!
And this is a bridge across the Novo-Ladoga canal in the village of Zagubye.
Novo-Ladoga Canal.
I just can't imagine how it was possible to build such channels at that time ?! For such a time frame that traditional history gives us! After all, steam excavators appeared only at the end of the 19th century. And this is its beginning! The volume of construction of the Belomor Canal does not fit into these comparisons.
Canals come to Lake Ladoga
Many photographs of the Novo-Ladoga Canal, presented here, were taken from the Moscow-212 motor ship in 2010. In 2011. here for the first time in recent decades an excursion motor ship passed through the entire Mariinsky canal system: from the Volga to the Neva
Old canal 60 ° 21 '41.46 "N 32 ° 40' 53.07" E
New channel.
Bridge between two canals. Link to place.
The old canal at this location. Agree, if you drive a dredging machine, a dredger into a channel and walk back and forth, you can make it quite navigable for small vessels.
Link to google map.
These small canals have such a view in the forest.
Link to google map.
In some places, both channels run very close to each other.
Between the two channels. Photo July 2008.
The canals cross the Syas River.
The old canal near the Syas river.
On the channel with m / v Moscow-212.
Farther west.
Coastal fortification on the New Canal.
Link to google map.
Canals in the area of Novaya Ladoga.
Old canal in the area of Novaya Ladoga.
New channel in Novaya Ladoga.
Novoladozhsky canal, view from the pontoon bridge.
Moving further west:
Old canal. The height of the banks is large, and hence the earthworks.
Old canal.
New channel. The channels are almost indistinguishable.
And here are the first granite structures on the old canal 60 ° 8 '45.72 "N 32 ° 7' 27.72" E. Link
It is written that this is a granite drain.
Water outlet to Lake Ladoga in the area of Dubno village - Dubensky water outlet.
Link to the map.
Sumy water outlet.
New channel.
Link to google map.
And to the north, the New Canal is navigable.
The old canal in Shlisselburg, from where it begins.
In some places it has a granite frame.
New channel near Shlisselburg.
Several photos of the Staro-Ladoga Canal:
Gateway.
Another.
Old and New channels.
I think I have clearly shown the entire scope of work, which is simply fantastic for the beginning of the 18th century, and even at the beginning of the 19th century. he also does not seem ordinary, because there is officially no steam excavation equipment yet. Manually, even with the strength of a thousand people - to dig it up … I can't imagine how! But all these people need not only to be fed, but also to be accommodated for the night. There were many villages? Maybe. But there are a lot of questions about this grandiose construction process. And besides, this construction site of the 18th century. again attributed to the most reformist tsar of the entire history of Russia - Peter I. And the volume of earthworks in the Staro-Ladoga Canal - we can compare with the construction of modern St. Petersburg.
Addition.
Dredging works on the canal were carried out in the early 20th century:
Author: sibved