Waterway restoration facts for kids

Waterway restoration is all about bringing old canals and rivers back to life! This includes fixing up special parts like old buildings, locks (which are like water elevators for boats), and boat lifts. It's also about making sure boats can use these waterways again.
In places like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, people mostly restore waterways so boats can travel on them easily. In Australia, it can also mean making the water cleaner and healthier.
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Bringing Waterways Back in Canada
People in Canada have been working hard to restore their old canals. It's a big job that helps bring history and fun back to these areas.
The Shubenacadie Canal Story
The Shubenacadie Canal in Nova Scotia is a great example. It's a historic waterway that connects lakes and rivers. In 1986, a group called the Shubenacadie Canal Commission was created. Their job was to plan for the canal's future.
They have already fixed two of the canal's locks. They also made sure the water levels in the nearby lakes stay steady. A visitor center has opened, too, so people can learn all about the canal. The plan is to fix four more locks. They also want to rebuild four water control structures. This will let small boats travel from Lake Banook all the way to the village of Shubenacadie.
The Soulanges Canal Project
The Soulanges Canal in Quebec closed way back in 1958. But now, there are exciting plans to open it again! This time, it will be for fun boats, not just big ships.
A group called the Régie intermunicipale du canal de Soulanges is in charge. Their main goal is to help tourism grow around the canal. They want to make it a popular spot for visitors once it reopens.
Bringing Waterways Back in Finland
Finland also has some interesting stories about restoring old waterways. These projects often turn old canals into cool places for tourists to visit.
Suvorov Military Canals: History and Tourism
The Suvorov military canals are a set of four open canals on the big Saimaa lake. For about 200 years, three of these canals were almost untouched. But in 2003, the Finnish National Board of Antiquities started fixing them up.
Now, these old military canals have become popular tourist spots. People can visit them and learn about their history.
Tar Canals: From Transport to Tourist Shows
In Kajaani, there were once "tar canals." These canals and locks helped boats get past the Koivukoski and Ämmäkoski rapids. They were built in 1846 and were super important. They helped transport wood pine tar to the city of Oulu.
The canals eventually wore out and closed in 1915. But in 1984, the Ämmäkoski lock was fixed and reopened! The Koivukoski canal, however, was completely taken apart. A power plant now stands where it used to be.
The restored Ämmäkoski canal isn't used for transport anymore. But in the summer, they have fun "tar boat shows" for tourists. It's a cool way to see how things used to be!
Bringing Waterways Back in the United Kingdom

Many canals in the United Kingdom were built a long time ago. They were often too narrow for the biggest boats. Because of this, and because railways became popular, many canals were left unused. This happened in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
But in the 1950s, people started using canals for fun activities like boating. This helped save the remaining canals from being completely abandoned.
Soon, people realized that old, unused canals could be brought back to life. At first, it was slow work. There wasn't much money, so volunteers did most of the hard work by hand.
As more people enjoyed canals for leisure, the economic benefits became clear. Governments started to provide some money. More and more volunteers joined the restoration groups.
Today, canal restoration in the UK is a mix of volunteers and paid professionals. They work together on many different projects.
Canals Being Restored Now
Many canals across the UK are currently being restored. This means lots of hard work to clear them, fix locks, and make them ready for boats again. Here are some of them:
- Buckingham Arm
- Chesterfield Canal
- Chichester Canal
- Cromford Canal
- Dearne and Dove Canal
- Derby Canal
- Grand Western Canal
- Grantham Canal
- Hatherton Canal
- Hereford and Gloucester Canal
- Lancaster Canal
- Lapal Canal (Dudley No 2 Canal)
- Lichfield Canal
- Liskeard and Looe Union Canal
- Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal
- Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal
- Montgomery Canal
- Rolle Canal
- Sleaford Navigation
- Stroudwater Navigation
- Thames and Severn Canal
- Wendover Arm Canal
- Wey and Arun Canal
- Wilts and Berks Canal
Groups That Restore Waterways in the UK
Many dedicated groups and volunteers work tirelessly to restore canals and rivers. They raise money, organize work parties, and help bring these historic waterways back to life. Some of these groups include:
- Waterway Recovery Group
- Cotswold Canals Trust
- Inland Waterways Protection Society
- Kent and East Sussex Canal Restoration Group
- Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust
- River Stour Trust, Suffolk, England
- Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust
- Wendover Arm Trust
- Wilts & Berks Canal Trust
- List of waterway societies in the United Kingdom
Canals That Are Now Open Again
Many restoration projects have been finished, and these waterways are now open for boats and people to enjoy! Here are some of the canals that have been reopened, listed by when they were completed:
- Lower Avon 1962
- Southern Stratford canal 1964
- Stourbridge Canal 1967
- Grand Western Canal 1971
- Upper Avon 1974
- Peak Forest Canal 1974
- Caldon Canal 1974
- Ashton Canal 1974
- River Great Ouse 1978
- Kennet and Avon Canal 1990
- Basingstoke Canal 1991
- Bridgwater and Taunton Canal 1994
- Huddersfield Narrow Canal 2001
- Rochdale Canal 2002
- Droitwich Canal 2011