How the Burgundy Canal works

Operating the canal system

The Burgundy Canal is built in a "pyramid" style, climbing up one side of a hill and going down the other side. It uses a natural water dividing line at the summit, where a tunnel joins the two sides. The water necessary to supply the top section of the canal is collected via rain and stored in reservoirs. The lower sections use the water from rivers flowing beside the canal, and the water accumulates in the higher sections.

Diagram showing the basic design and water supply

The reservoirs

The reservoirs are located near the canal's summit, and their purpose is to collect water from the surrounding hills and store it for later use. Generally, they fill during the winter period when there is much more rainfall and snow. Throughout the year, the water is slowly drawn from the reservoirs in a controlled manner and fed into the canal via small "canals" and dykes. Please read the page "The reservoirs and water supply" for more information.

The rivers

As the canal descends the hills, the water supply is assisted by rivers that flow beside it. The rivers were there before the canal, and the canal tends to hug and follow the trajectory of the rivers. At specific points, the river's water is held back by small dams and weirs and then diverted into the canal by sluice gates. Where the canal is higher than the river, it is standard to see sluice gates capable of emptying water from the canal into the river.

The locks

The canal requires locks to allow boats to navigate the controlled waters. Quite simply, if there were no locks, the water would flow into the main rivers, and the canal would dry up. By having locks, the water is retained, just like with a dam, and can be used when required. When a boat needs to pass through a lock, the boat enters the lock, the doors are closed, and the canal is filled or emptied as needed. If no boat passes through the lock, the water is held back.

Most locks continuously debit water, which is called "the current." The lock keeper will be informed of the required rate of current. This is for multiple reasons, such as compensating the stretch of water below due to leeks, preventing overflow in the stretch of water above, maintaining oxygen, and preventing stagnation.

Please view the page "How a canal lock works" to understand the operating sequence of a lock.