A water slope () is a type of
canal inclined plane
An inclined plane is a type of boat lift cable railway used on some canals for raising boats between different water levels. Boats may be conveyed afloat, in caissons, or may be carried in cradles or slings.
History
Inclined planes have evolv ...
built to carry boats from a canal or river at one elevation up or down to a canal or river at another elevation.
History
In 1885, German engineer
Julius Greve published drafts for water slopes in German journals. French engineer
Jean Aubert advanced the studies in the 1950s and 1960s.
To date, only two water slopes have been built, both in southern France. In 1973 the
Montech water slope
The Montech water slope is a type of canal inclined plane built on the Canal de Garonne, in the commune of Montech, Tarn-et-Garonne, Southwest France. It is managed by the publicly owned Voies navigables de France and by-passes a series of five L ...
() was put into service on the ''
Canal latéral à la Garonne''.
In 1983 the
Fonserannes Water Slope was inaugurated near
Béziers
Béziers (; ) is a city in southern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region. Every August Béziers ho ...
on the
Canal du Midi
The Canal du Midi (; ) is a long canal in Southern France (). Originally named the ''Canal Royal en Languedoc'' (Royal Canal in Languedoc) and renamed by French revolutionaries to ''Canal du Midi'' in 1789, the canal is considered one of the g ...
. Both water slopes run parallel to existing
lock
Lock(s) or Locked may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainme ...
flights. Both water slopes are currently out of service and in disrepair. However, the slopes and their moving engines can be viewed from a distance.
Operation
The water slope uses a moveable gate in a sloping channel. To ascend the slope the moving gate can be opened to allow a boat to enter the concrete channel. The gate then closes off the bottom of the channel and seals off a wedge of water on which the boat is floating, within the channel. The moveable gate is drawn up the sloping concrete channel pushing the wedge of water before it until reaching the upper water level. When the water level in the wedge is equalised with that of the upper canal, an upper (non-moving) gate is opened and the boat is then allowed to float free.
Descending the water slope is the reverse of the ascent.
See also
*
Boat lift
Further reading
*
*
References
{{Commons category, Fonseranes water slope
Canal inclined planes