The Canal of Kuurna, Kontiolahti

The Canal of Kuurna is a 400 meters long canal in the Pielisjoki River, belonging to the water system of Vuoksi, in the municipality of Kontiolahti, and on the water passage between Joensuu and Nurmes. Its drop height is 5.6 meters, and it has one lock. It was first built between 1874 and 1876, and afterwards it was renovated between 1968 and 1971.

During the mid 1800s lockless boat canals were constructed in the Pielisjoki River, and at that time also a boat pulling path was built on log supports in Kuurna. The construction of the canal was started in July 1874, and since the entire area was very rocky, it was decided that the canal should be built from rocks. However, the rock material was not strong enough, so eventually the lock had to be made from concrete and crushed rocks. The Canal of Kuurna was opened to traffic on the 15th of June 1876.

When a new canal was being constructed in Kaltimo, plans were made to transform the entire Pielisjoki River to be suitable for large-scale timber rafting. The plan was to build a rafting canal in the Kuurnankoski rapids. Thanks to the planned canal and its lock, the water surface could be raised so high that the rapids upstream of Kuurna would disappear, and the old canals would no longer be needed. The construction of this new canal began in 1968. The plan called for a canal with the same operating principle as the completed timber rafting canal in Kaltimo. The Canal of Kuurna was opened to traffic in July 1971.

An important consequence of the new canal was that the old canals in Saapaskoski, Jakokoski, Haapavirta, Paihola and the old canal of Kuurna were made redundant. Since the shoreline of the Pielisjoki River was significantly altered by the raised water levels, large areas of land and even the old canal of Kuurna, as well as the canal of Paihola are now under water. After the construction of the rafting canal of Kuurna there are only three canals left in the Pielisjoki River: Kaltimo, Kuurna and Joensuu.