Canal Description

Ostróda - Elbląg Canal, 82 km long, is the unique water system in the world because of the hydrotechnical devices being in operation since 1860.

The difference of canal water levels on the length of 9,6 km changes of over 100 m and is overcome on five skipways, which are driven by water power.

The total length of the Canal route is 129,8 km. Usually the Canal is identified only with the stretch Elbląg - Ostróda (82 km), but it has some other branches:

- Ostróda - Iława (48 km)
- Ostróda - Stare Jabłonki (16, 8 km)
- Miłomłyn - Iława (31 km).

It is assumed that the Canal originates on Drużno Lake, but according to the "Register of Water Routes" the length in kilometres of the Canal is measured from the point 0,00 in Miłomłyn, from where it branches off to three main directions:

- water lock Miłomłyn (0,00 km) - skipway Buczyniec (36,77 km) - Drużno Lake (52,00 km) and the route of the length 15,5 km to Vistula Bay,
- water lock Miłomłyn (0,00 km) - water lock Ostróda (15,11 km) - Szeląg Lake (31,30 km),
- water lock Miłomłyn (0,00 km) - Iława/Zalewo (32,22 km)..

The region of Ostróda - Elbląg Canal - the terrains adjoining to it directly and its closest surroundings form the AREA of PROTECTED LANDSCAPE.

Every year thousands of tourists - passengers of excursion ships and individual lovers of aquatic admire the unique values of nature and landscape. Despite of so big mass of nature amateurs the human interference in the natural environment doesn't put in danger the coexistence of hundreds of species of flora and fauna living in the reserves, landscape parks and in mentioned above protected areas. The exploration of the existing here nature riches and the experience of esthetic impressions are possible particularly during the quiet cruises on the canal and the biking rides on the numerous wandering routes existing in the communes: Elbląg, Rychliki, Pasłęk, Miłomłyn and Ostróda.