Kimola Canal

The Kimola Canal ( Finnish: Kimolan kanava ) in Finland is seven kilometers long and connects the Kymijoki River via Lake Konnivesi with the downstream Lake Pyhäjärvi . The canal was built to allow floating timber transport. In Finland, rafting is still very important today. The canal construction began in 1962 and the canal was inaugurated in August 1966. The waterway was built by the government using the most modern technology at the time. A large part of the canal was taken out of service in 1999, and the last tree trunks swam through the canal on August 14, 2002.

There are no locks, but a 12 m high dam near a tunnel, where the wood was lowered with two 30 t cranes in order to overcome the difference in height. The canal is currently being renovated and developed for tourism. The cost of this is estimated at EUR 20.8 million.