The Trent-Severn Waterway and Locking

Dave and I decided to include this post to give everyone an idea of where we are and how the process of locking works.

This image shows the series of 45 locks that make up the Trent-Severn Waterway.  Boats travel the Trent-Severn through several different types of locks.  

Conventional Locks

There are 37 conventional locks on the system which act as steps in the water staircase raising boats up 182 meters (597 feet) from Lake Ontario to Balsm Lake, and then lowering them down 80 meters (263 feet) to Georgian Bay.  A conventional lock has watertight gates made of timber or steel at both ends and are filled and emptied through sluices in the gates, walls or floor of the lock chamber.  The lock staff operates some of the gates and sluices manually.  However, many are now operated by electrically controlled hydraulic systems.  At some locks in the lower Trent Canal, one end of the lock is manual while the other is hydraulic.

The basic operation of the conventional lock is very simple:

1.)  The water in the lock has been emptied through the lower valves, and is now at the same level as the lower reach where our boat waits.  The lower lock gates have been opened to prepare for the lockage.

2.)  The boat enters the lock, the gates close forming a water tight chamber.  The upper valves are opened, allowing water from the upper ready to flow by gravity into the lock.  Our boat floats upwards as the lock fills.

3.)  When the water is the same level as the upper reach, the upper gates are opened, and our boat continues upstream.  The lock is now ready to lower boats heading in the other direction.

Simple! No pumps are needed.  It is all done by valves and gravity.

Flight Locks

A flight lock consists of two or more locks joined together to handle large changes in water levels.  There are 2 flight locks on the Trent-Severn Waterway--Ranney Falls (Locks 11 and 12; total lift:  48 feet) and Healey Falls (Locks 16 and 17; total lift:  54 feet)--with 2 lock chambers and 3 sets of gates each.

Hydraulic Lift Locks

Canada's hydraulic lift locks are 2 of only 9 of this type of lock in the world, and the only 2 in North America.  The Peterborough Lift Lock is the highest of the 9.  (Kirkfield is #2.)  Lift locks are made up of 2 water-filled chambers counterbalanced on huge hydraulic pistons.  As one descends, the other is forced upwards.

The Marine Railway

At Big Chute, "Lock 44" is, in fact, not a lock but a 3-storey-tall open carriage that rides on twin tracks and portages your boat over land.  You drive the boat onto the partially submerged carriage, where it is cradled snugly in slings as the water drains off.  The boat is refloated at the end of the railway's 600-foot journey.