A navigation is a series of channels that run roughly parallel to the valley and stream bed of an unimproved river. A … See more

Both navigations and canals use engineered structures to improve navigation:
• weirs and dams to raise river water levels to usable depths;
• looping descents to create a longer an… See more

There are two broad types of canal:
• Waterways: canals and navigations used for carrying vessels transporting goods and people. These can be subdivided into two kinds:
Those con… See more

Historically, canals were of immense importance to commerce and the development, growth and vitality of a civilization. In 1855 the Lehigh Canal carried over 1.2 million tons of anthracite coal; by the 1930s t… See more

Canals are built in one of three ways, or a combination of the three, depending on available water and available path:
Human made streams
• A canal can be created where no stream presently e… See more

At their simplest, canals consist of a trench filled with water. Depending on the stratum the canal passes through, it may be necessary to line the cut with some form of watertight material such as clay or concrete. … See more