Updated at: 25-09-2021 - By: Lucas

Canals are very old water ways that are still being used today. In addition to this, they are also used for shipping, trading and other purposes. There are many different kinds of canals and each one of them has its own uses.

This is why it is really important to know about all of these kinds of canals and their uses. Canals are found almost everywhere on this planet and each of them has a special purpose. Now, let’s have a look at the types of canals that are found on earth.

Irrigation Canal

Irrigation Canal

An irrigation canal is a waterway that is dug across a field to deliver water to crops or other areas where it is needed. Irrigation canals are used to supply water for farming, gardening, and lawns and landscaping. Sometimes the canals are made with natural materials such as gravel, sand, and dirt. However, most often they are made of concrete.

Irrigation canals can be anywhere from a few inches to several feet wide and from a few inches to more than 10 feet deep. The depth of the canal is determined by the amount of water needed to reach the plants or other areas being watered. 

In some cases, the water is delivered via an underground pipeline. In other cases, it is delivered via an above-ground canal. Canals may or may not be lined with some type of material such as gravel, plastic, or cement.

Navigation Canal

The navigation canal is a man made waterway that runs through the middle of Florida. It was built by the Army Corps of Engineers to aid in the navigation of boats and ships on the ocean. Later, it was decided that this waterway would also be a great way to get around the state by boat.

Today, the navigation canal is used by pleasure boaters and anglers. There are many marinas located along the canal. These marinas offer storage space for boats and supplies for boaters who need them. There are also restaurants and other amenities that are available to boaters.

Power Canal

Power Canal

A power canal is a man-made channel that diverts water from one area to another. Canals are used for many different things, but one of the main purposes is for irrigation. Canals are used when you don’t have enough rainfall to provide for your crops. Canals can also be used for hydroelectricity or for a multitude of other purposes.

A power canal is simply a long, narrow trench dug across the land. This trench is lined with concrete and has a sloped, hard surface on the bottom. As the water flows along the trench, it is forced to flow over this hard, sloped surface. This causes the water to gain speed and head toward one end of the canal. 

At the far end of the canal, there is usually a weir. This is a low structure that causes the water to slow down as it approaches the end of the canal. This in turn causes the water to back up and create a pool of water at the other end of the canal.

Feeder Canal

A feeder canal is a man-made channel that drains excess water from a land surface into an adjacent body of water. Canals are used for many different reasons, but one of the main ones is to provide a means for transporting water away from a source area where there is too much water. This helps prevent flooding in the surrounding areas.

A feeder canal is usually constructed by digging a ditch and then covering it over with soil or some other material. It may be lined with stone or concrete. In some cases, the canal will be covered with grass or other vegetation. Whatever the case may be, the result is that water can flow freely into the canal and then into the body of water.

Carrier Canal

Carrier Canal

A carrier canal is a shipping channel that runs through the middle of an island. It was originally used by ships to avoid shallow waters around the island. Nowadays, it is used by boats of all sizes to get from one side of the canal to the other. A boat using a carrier canal has a much shorter distance to travel than a boat that must navigate around the island.

Carrier canals were first used in the ancient world and are mentioned in the Bible. In fact, some believe the phrase “in the middle of the canal” is actually mentioned in the Bible. It is also mentioned in the writings of the Roman Empire. The name “carrier canal” comes from the fact it was used to transport goods and people from one side of an island to the other.

Protective Canal

A protective canal is a waterway that was dug around an urban area to protect the inhabitants from floods. Often, this canal will be lined with concrete and it will be used for flood control and drainage. In some cases, it will be used for both purposes. The bottom of the canal will be lined with brick or stone to prevent the river or lake from washing away the surrounding land.

In the case of a lake, a protective canal will be dug around the edge of the lake to prevent the lake from spilling over its banks and flooding the surrounding area. When the lake level is high, the protective canal will be full and it will be used for drainage. When the lake level is low, the protective canal will be empty and it will be used for flood control.

Permanent Canal

Permanent Canal

A permanent canal is one that has been dug for irrigation or drainage purposes and then has never been filled in. Canals were once common in the United States. The Erie Canal, which connected the Great Lakes to the Hudson River, was built with a series of 66 locks. Today, only three of those original locks remain. Most of the canals that were once so common are now under water. However, some of them have been converted into recreational waterways.

There are many different kinds of canals. Some are man-made, others are natural. A few are very short, like a ditch that is only a few feet across. Others are quite long. The St. Lawrence Seaway is 7425 miles long and it connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. Canals are used for both irrigation and drainage. Irrigation canals carry water from one place to another to supply crops or lawns with water.

Inundation Canal

An Inundation Canal is a man-made waterway that was constructed during the construction of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. It was built to prevent flooding in the Nile Delta region. The dam created a reservoir that extends into Sudan, Egypt and Israel. 

This massive body of water is known as the Suez Canal. It is approximately 40 miles long and it connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. The Inundation Canal is not a natural waterway. It was constructed to prevent the Nile Delta from being flooded.

The Inundation Canal has become a vital trade waterway. It provides an alternate shipping route to the Suez Canal. There are about 30,000 ships that use the Inundation Canal each year.

Contour Canal

Contour Canal

The contour canal is an efficient, low-maintenance landscape feature that provides both visual interest and a natural drainage solution. It was developed by noted landscape architect, Piet Oudolf. 

The contour canal is constructed by digging a shallow trench, about 2-3 feet wide, and then backfilling it with a mixture of soil, sand and gravel. This creates a raised bed that allows water to flow off the surface of the land, thus reducing the risk of flooding.

The contour canal is a particularly effective way to solve drainage problems because of its low profile. It can be used to direct stormwater runoff away from the foundation of your home or building, around the exterior of the house and then into a storm drain. This helps prevent flooding and keeps your yard looking beautiful and weed-free.

Watershed Canal

A watershed canal is a man-made canal dug across the topography of a land mass that is fed by a river or stream. This type of canal is used to divert water away from a region where it is not wanted. The water that is diverted is collected in the watershed canal and then flows into other waterways or is used for irrigation or some other beneficial purpose.

Watershed canals were first developed in ancient times and they are still in use today. In fact, many modern cities like New Orleans and Los Angeles have extensive networks of these canals. These canals are critical to the survival of these cities because they provide a way to quickly remove excess water that would otherwise cause devastating flooding.

Side Slope Canal

A side slope canal is similar to a gravity-fed canal, except it has a slight incline to the sides. This allows water to flow faster down the canal, which makes it possible to use less power to move the same amount of water. It also allows the water to flow faster over the weir, which causes the water level in the canal to fall. This means there is more head pressure on the water flowing over the weir, which increases the efficiency of the pump.

A side slope canal will always have an efficiency gain over a gravity-fed canal, but it will never have as much efficiency gain as an upstream hydroelectric facility. An upstream hydroelectric facility would have almost no slope whatsoever, thus creating a canal with zero hydraulic head.

FAQS

How does a canal work?

A canal system consists of a series of canals, each with a different hydraulic head. Water that enters a canal from a lower hydraulic head will always flow towards a higher hydraulic head. This is because the direction of the water flow is dictated by the difference in hydraulic head between two points.

For example, if there is a difference of one foot of water between two points, then the water will flow down to the lowest point. If you have a series of canals connected by gates, and the gates are all open, then water will flow freely from one canal to another. However, if some of the gates are closed off, then the water will start to fill up the lowest point which is behind the closed gate.

 What is the famous canal?

The famous canal is the Grand Canal . The Grand Canal is the longest canal in the world. It is located in China. It is 1,794 kilometers (1,115 miles) long. It was built between 585 and 605 AD during the Sui dynasty. The canal was constructed with a granite base and concrete lining. It has an average width of 30 meters (98 feet) and a depth of up to 14 meters (46 feet). It connects the oceans and seas.

What is canal capacity?

The volume of water that can be drained into the canal is called canal capacity. This volume is determined by the elevation difference between the canal and the water source. The elevation difference is measured in feet above sea level.

For example, if the water source is 10 feet above sea level and the canal is at sea level, the capacity would be 10 feet.

What is canal velocity?

The speed at which water flows through the canal is called canal velocity. Canal velocity is measured in feet per second (ft/sec) or meters per second (m/sec). Canal velocity = Canal depth (in feet or meters) ÷ Water depth (in feet or meters) ÷ Time (in seconds or minutes)

Conclusion

Canals are natural waterways that exist all over the world. They are formed when rivers flow into the sea. Canals have been used for many years as transportation routes, places to live, and places to do business.

Today, canals continue to be used for many purposes. Some people like to use them as a place to live because they are really convenient. If you decide to live near a canal, you should know how to prevent problems such as mosquitoes, rats, and other insects from entering your home.

Canals are also very useful if you want to do some business. You can use a canal as a place to sell your products or services.