The Küsten Canal, also known as the Coastal Canal (german: Küstenkanal), is a

canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

, about long, that links the

Dortmund–Ems Canal The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund () and the seaport of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after at Herbrum lock near Meppen. The route then takes the r ...

with the

Hunte Hunte is a long river in north-western Germany (Lower Saxony), a left tributary of the Weser. The Hunte rises in the Wiehen Hills. In the North German Plain it flows through lake Dümmer. It flows generally northwards through the towns Bad Es ...

and thus the

Weser The Weser () is a river of Lower Saxony in north-west Germany. It begins at Hannoversch Münden through the confluence of the Werra and Fulda. It passes through the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Its mouth is further north against the ports o ...

rivers. It was built from 1922 to 1935 by widening an already existing drainage channel and is used today, especially by the peat industry and for transporting coal from the

Ruhrgebiet The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...

to Bremen.

History

In April 1945, the wide canal was a significant obstacle to Allied forces advancing from the Ems estuary into Germany. Forces of the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division assaulted over the canal on 19 April and secured a bridgehead at Edewechterdamm, after Polish formations of the 1st Armoured Division had taken over the previous Canadian position at

Dörpen Dörpen is a municipality in the Emsland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the ...

, 50 km. to the West. The Polish forces established a bridgehead towards Papenburg after two days of fierce fighting. "Küsten Canal" was awarded as a

battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...

to both Canadian and Polish units participating in actions near this canal: To the Canadian

British Columbia Regiment The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance (recce) regiment of the Canadian Army; the regiment is subordinate to 39 Canadian Brigade Group of the 3rd Canadian Division. Established in 1883, ...

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's), or A & SH of C, is a Primary Reserve Scottish regiment, Highland infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces, based at John Weir Foote, John W. Foote VC Armoury in Hamilton, Ontario ...

Algonquin Regiment The Algonquin Regiment (Northern Pioneers) is a primary reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army comprising two companies. A Company is located in North Bay, Ontario, and B Company is located in Timmins, Ontario. The regiment fall ...

Lake Superior Scottish Regiment The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment is located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and is part of the 3rd Canadian Division's 38 Canadian Brigade Group. Also known as "The Lake Sups" ...

, Lincoln and Welland Regiment, and

Royal New Brunswick Regiment The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (RNBR) is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based in New Brunswick. The Royal New Brunswick Regiment is part of 37 Canadian Brigade Group, 5th Canadian Division. The RNBR holds 65 battle honours. C ...

, and to the Polish 9th Light Infantry Battalion, 1st Light Anti-Air Artillery Regiment, and 2nd Motorized Artillery Regiment.

Data

* Length: * Water depth: * Bridge clearance: * Category IV

inland waterway A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and calm enough for a water vessel (e.g. boats) to pass safely. Such a navigable water is called a ''waterway'', and is preferably with few obstructions against d ...

Route

Ems near

– southern Papenburg – northern

Friesoythe Friesoythe, in Saterland Frisian language Ait or Äit, is a town in the district of Cloppenburg, Lower Saxony, Germany, on the river Soeste, northwest of Cloppenburg, and southwest of Oldenburg. History In 1227, Count Otto von Tecklenburg ...

–

Oldenburg Oldenburg may also refer to: Places *Mount Oldenburg, Ellsworth Land, Antarctica *Oldenburg (city), an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany **Oldenburg (district), a district historically in Oldenburg Free State and now in Lower Saxony *Olde ...

In many places the canal runs parallel to the B 401.

References

External links

Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Meppen

Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Bremen

Das Projekt Küstenkanal der Grundschule Friedrichsfehn
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kustenkanal Canals in Lower Saxony Emsland (region) CKusten Canal CKusten Canal Federal waterways in Germany Canals opened in 1935

History

Data

Route

See also

References

External links