The St. Lawrence Seaway—Canal de Beauharnois to Cornwall

Canal de Beauharnois (45°19'N., 73°55'W.), 15 statute miles long, is the sole means of transit from Lac Saint- Louis to Lac Saint-Francois. The channel has a least depth of 8.2m, with a width of 182m, except in the short channel between Upper Beauharnois Lock and Lower Beauharnois Lock, which has a least width of 91m. 10.61 There is a speed limit of 9 knots upbound and 10.5 knots downbound, over the bottom in Canal de Beauharnois, from the upper entrance to the lock to Lighted Buoy D3 in Lac Saint-Francois.

The downstream approach wall has a berthing length of 379m. The upstream approach wall has a berthing length of 503m.

Pilotage.—The master of a vessel downbound that is to arrive in the compulsory pilotage area of the Laurentian Pilotage Authority shall give notice of the immediate and ultimate destinations of the vessel by calling the St. Lawrence Seaway radio control when passing Beauharnois Lock.

The channel between the two sets of locks is only about 936m long, with a least width of about 91m. Between the two locks, four sets of overhead transmission lines, with a least vertical clearance of 45.1m, span the channel, although during severe icing conditions, this vertical clearance may be reduced to as little as 43.6m.

Upper Beauharnois Lock has a lift of 11 to 12m. Lower Beauharnois Lock has a lift of 12 to 13m.

Anchorage.—An anchorage area, with depths of 8.2 to 11m, lies adjacent to the Seaway channel close SW of Upper Beauharnois
Lock. Care should be taken not to anchor over the submerged pipelines and cables which cross the anchorage area.

Caution.—When approaching the downstream approach wall at the lock, vessels have reported strong currents setting across the approach course on occasion. The strength of the crosscurrent varies considerably, depending on the amount of water being released at the power dam.

Pont St.-Louis (45°14'N., 74°00'W.), a combined road and railway bridge, spans the canal about 6 statue miles above Upper Beauharnois Lock. The bridge section spanning the canal is 54.9m wide, with a vertical clearance of 36.6m when open. The vertical clearance is 4.3m when closed. Unless a vessel’s approach to the lift bridge has been recognized by a flashing amber signal light, the vessel shall signal the bridgemaster by VHF radio when the vessel is abreast of the bridge whistle signs, which are about 1,850m below and 2,990m above the span.

Two sets of overhead power cables, with a minimum vertical clearance of 44m, cross the Canal de Beauharnois, about 0.9 mile NE of Pont St.-Louis.

An emergency anchorage area lies adjacent to and S of the channel close upstream of Pont St.-Louis. A least depth of 8.2m exists in this anchorage.

Port de ValleyfieldPort de Valleyfield (45°13'N., 74°06'W.), a small basin used for handling cargo, stands on the N side of the channel about 4 miles above Pont St.-Louis. The basin is 76m wide and has a least reported depth of 7m. A depth of 7m was also found off the SE corner of the N wall.

There are four berths in the basin for discharging cargo. The N wharf, used for handling general and liquid bulk cargo, has a
berthing length of 482m . The S wharf, used for general cargo, has a berthing length of 274m. The E wharf, used for dry bulk cargo, has a berthing length of 350m. Depths alongside all wharves are 8.2m.

Pont de Valleyfield, a road and railway bridge, with a channel width of 55m and a vertical clearance of 36.6m when open and 3.5 when closed, crosses the ship channel about 1 mile upstream from Port de Valleyfield. Unless a vessel’s approach to the lift bridge has been recognized by the flashing amber lights on the caution sign, the vessel shall contact the bridgemaster when abeam of the bridge whistle signs.

An emergency anchorage area, with depths of 8.2 to 13.4m, lies adjacent to and S of the channel close upstream of Pont de
Valleyfield.

A ship reporting station, for vessels bound downstream only, stands at the upstream entrance to Canal de Beauharnois.

Salaberry de Valleyfield, a small city, stands at the NE end of Lac Saint-Francois. Several church spires and tall factory chimneys in the city are conspicuous from the lake.

On entering Lac Saint-Francois from Canal de Beauharnois, the Seaway channel has a least width of 137m for the first 2
miles. The depths in the channel in Lac Saint-Francois are nowhere less than 8.2m and considerably more in the greater
part of the channel.

There is a speed limit of 12 knots upbound and 13.5 knots downbound over the bottom between Buoy D3, near the upper entrance to Canal de Beauharnois, and Buoy D49, N of Butternut Island (45°03'N., 74°29'W.).

Three irregularly-shaped anchorage areas, one to the N and two to the S of the Seaway channel, lie between Buoy D5 and Buoy D17.

The current sets diagonally across the Seaway channel on the 209° course, but the rate is slight. Over most of the lake area
the rate rarely exceeds 0.5 knot.

A traffic reporting station for upbound and downbound traffic stands in the vicinity of the light at Ste. Anicent Shoal (45°09'N., 74°22'W.).

Coteau-Landing (45°15'N., 74°13'W.), a small village fronted by a pier with a depth of 2.4m alongside its face, stands in the NE part of Lac Saint-Francois.

Pointe Beaudette (45°12'N., 74°19'W.), about 6 miles SW of Coteau-Landing, has a disused lighthouse and a rear range beacon on it. From a distance, the point appears as an island.

The NE and SE shores of the lake are generally low and wooded. Ile des Francs-Tireurs (45°11'N., 74°15'W.), a small island with a private pier extending from its NE end, stands close N of Pointe Biron, about 4.5 miles SW of the W entrance to Canal de Beauharnois.

A small pier extends from Port Lewis, about 1.5 miles to the W of Pointe Biron.

An ornate church with a very conspicuous white dome stands in the small village of Saint-Anicet, about 5.5 miles WSW of Pointe Biron. A conspicuous cross, about 23m high, stands to the E of the village. A small pier, 18m long with a depth of 2.1m alongside, extends from the shore abreast of the village.

Pointe au Cedre (45°05'N., 74°26'W.), about 4 miles SW of Saint-Anicet, is fronted by an L-shaped pier with shallow depths alongside.

The Seaway channel through the W part of Lac Saint-Francois has a least width of 137m and a least depth of 8.6m. Lancaster Bar, an area of very shallow water with a deep channel through it, lies NW of Pointe au Cedre. The current across Lancaster Bar is reported to set fair with the channel at a rate of 1 knot or less.

Between Buoy D49 N of Butternut Island and Snell Lock, there is a speed limit of 8.5 knots upbound and 10.5 knots downbound, at normal water levels.

Between Clark Island (45°03'N., 74°34'W.) and Ile Saint- Regis, the current is reported to set fair with the Seaway channel at a rate of 1.5 knots.

Four irregularly-shaped anchorage areas, two on the N side and two on the S side of the Seaway channel, are situated between Clark Island and Ile Saint-Regis.

The village of South Lancaster stands on the N side of the mouth of the Raisin River, about 3.3 miles NW of Pointe au Cedre. An islet, called The Cairn, which has a conspicuous conical stone cairn, stands close S of South Lancaster.

From a position about 2.8 miles W of Pointe au Cedres, the Seaway channel is bordered on its W side by Squaw Island, St.-Francis Island, Hamilton Island, Renshaw Island, and Clark sland, and on its E side by Butternut Island, Camerons Island, Little Hog Island, Stanley Island, Jacobs Island, Dodens Island, Canal Island, and Dickerson Island. Abeam of Clark Island the channel trends W for about 1 mile and then SW, passing close along the NW side of Ile Saint-Regis. Between the W end of Ile Saint-Regis and the two Colquhoun Islands to the N, the channel turns and passes between Cornwall Island and Ile Saint-Regis, and then extends W between the S shore of Cornwall Island and the mainland shore of the United States to the S. The channel in this area has a least width of 129m S of Cornwall Island.

South of the Colquhoun Islands, allowance should be made for an E current of up to 2 knots. Between Cornwall Island and Ile Saint-Regis, a rate of 3 knots has been reported setting with the channel. At the turn in the SE of Cornwall Island, the current has been reported to set to the E. In addition, a perceptible NE set across the channel, with consequent eddies along the shore from the waters of the Raquette River, has been experienced at high stages of water in the river. To the E of Raquette Point, the current sets with the channel at a rate of 2.5 knots.

Cornwall (45°01'N., 74°43'W.)  stands on the N shore of the St. Lawrence River N of Cornwall Island. Cornwall is a port of entry. Vessels bound for this harbor from foreign ports may request pratique from the Quarantine Station, Montreal. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation has its operating headquarters in Cornwall. The Seaway channel distance from Montreal is 67 miles. The navigation season is from mid-April to December 15.

The Cornwall Channel branches to the W from the Seaway Channel S of the Colquhoun Islands and has a least width of 129m.

Cornwall Wharf is 175m long, with a width of 10 to 15m and a depth of 8.2m alongside. The government wharf has a turning area extending 274m S of the wharf. Although towage services are not usually required, tugs are available for emergency use with sufficient notice. Facilities are also available for discharging oils and industrial chemicals using the government wharf and a tank farm. Pilotage is not compulsory.

Location