Location

The St. Lawrence Seaway—Montreal Harbor to Canal de Beauharnois

The Canal de la Rive Sud, 18.5 statute miles long, is entered at the S end of Montreal Harbor and follows the E and S shore of the St. Lawrence River, bypassing the Rapides de Lachine, to enter Lac Saint-Louis about 2 miles W of Caughnawaga. The canal has a least width of 68m except under the Jacques Cartier Bridge, where the is a minimum usable width of 61m. The canal contains the St.-Lambert Lock and the Cote Ste.-Catherine Lock, which together overcome the difference in elevation between Montreal Harbor and Lac Saint-Louis. The canal embankments are illuminated at night to assist vessels navigating the canal.

There is a speed limit of 6 knots over the bottom in Canal de la Rive Sud.

St.-Lambert Lock crosses the canal in the vicinity of Victoria Bridge. The downstream approach wall on the W side of the canal has a berthing length of 653m. The canal is 152.4m wide abreast this approach wall. The upstream approach wall has a berthing length of 458m.

Both spans of the Victoria Bridge have a minimum vertical clearance of 36.6m. An overhead power cable, with a minimum clearance of 36.6m, crosses the canal close upstream of the St.-Lambert Lock.

It has been reported that water discharged from the regulating channel, E of St.-Lambert Lock, sets NW on to the lower approach wall and a reverse flow sets along the wall toward the lower lock entrance in a S direction.

The Eisenhower Lock on the US sideFrom St.-Lambert Lock to Cote Ste.-Catherine Lock, about 8 statute miles distant, the canal has a width of 91m. The W and N bank is illuminated for night navigation.

The Champlain Bridge (45°28'N., 73°30'W.) spans the canal about 2 statute miles above St.-Lambert Lock and has a vertical clearance of 36.6m.

An ice control structure, consisting of a number of piers joined by a service bridge from which an ice boom is laid, extends from Ile des Soeurs to the Seaway embankment, close upstream from the Champlain Bridge.

Turning Basin No. 1 lies about 2 statute miles S of the Champlain Bridge; Turning Basin Basin No. 2 lies about 3 statute miles farther upstream. Both basins have a dredged depth of 8.2m.

Cote Ste.-Catherine Lock (45°24'N., 73°34'W.) stands close of W Turning Basin No. 2. The lower approach wall has a berthing length of 319m and is situated on the N side of the canal. The upper approach wall has a berthing length of 318m. The canal has been widened abreast both approach walls to a width of 137m.

Above Cote Ste.-Catherine Lock the canal extends in a general W direction for 8 statute miles to Lac Saint-Louis. This section of the canal has a least width of 76m. Cote Sainte-Catherine Wharf lies on the S side of the canal about 0.8 mile W of the lock. The wharf is 1,219m long, with a depth of 8.2m alongside.

Three sets of overhead cables, with a vertical clearance of 36.6m, cross the canal between 2.25 and 2.5 miles above Cote Ste.-Catherine Lock.

Caughnawaga (Kahnawake) (45°25'N., 73°41'W.) (World Port Index No. 2250), stands adjacent to the canal at the lower end of Lac Saint Louis and abreast the head of the Rapides de Lachine.

The Honore Mercier Bridge and the Canadian Pacific Bridge span the canal at Caughnawaga. Both bridges have a vertical
clearance of 36.6m. Unless a vessel’s approach to the lift bridges has been recognized by a flashing amber signal light, the master shall signal the bridgemaster by VHF radio when the vessel is abreast of the bridge whistle signs above and below the bridges.

Emergency berthing facilities are provided on the N side of the canal, 0.2 mile above the railway bridge. The berth is 143m long, with a depth of 8.2m alongside.

Lac Saint-Louis (45°24'N., 73°49'W.) is an expansion of the St. Lawrence River at its junction with the W mouth of the Ottawa River. Ile Perrot stands in the W part of the lake and is bordered by narrow, shallow passages on the N and S sides which lead into that part of the Ottawa River known as Lac des Deux Montagnes.

The Seaway channel between the upper end of Canal de la Rive Sud and Beauharnois Lock, about 11.5 statute miles distant, is 182m wide, with a least depth 8.6m.

The speed limit from the upper end of South Shore Canal is 10.5 knots to Lighted Buoy A13, and 16 knots from there to Beauharnois Lock. Ile St.-Nicolas stands close N of the channel about 1 mile W of Caughnawaga Dike Light.

A traffic reporting station for upbound vessels only stands on Pointe du Moulin at the E end of Ile Perrot.

Anchorage can be taken on both sides of the channel close N of Beauharnois Lock by vessels awaiting transit through the lock. Depths in these areas range from 11 to 27.4m. Anchorage is prohibited in the channel leading to the lock.

It has been reported that the current sets through the Seaway channel in Lac Saint-Louis at a rate of 1 to 1.5 knots. Except in that part of the channel lying between Buoy A18 and the W end of Canal de la Rive Sud embankment, the current sets fair with the channel. In the latter section the current sets NE across the channel and increases to a rate of about 2 knots. 10.59 On the SE shore of Lac Saint-Louis, the Riviere Chateauguay empties into the lake in the vicinity of Ile Saint-Bernard (45°23'N., 73°46'W.). A small conspicuous green hill, marked by a cross, stands on the SW end of the island. A chimney, situated close SE of this hill, is conspicuous from the S and SW.

The city of Beauharnois stands 7 statute miles SW of Ile Saint-Bernard and the S shore of the lake. The shore between these two places is bordered by an extensive group of low islands known as the Iles de la Paix. A large dam stands between the city of Beauharnois and Beauharnois Lock. The village of Melocheville stands close W of the lock.

The city of Lachine stands on the N shore of Lac Saint-Louis at the entrance to Canal de Lachine, now closed to navigation. From the lake, the dome of the old convent and the two-spired church are conspicuous. A channel, with a least depth of 4.3m, leads from the Seaway channel to the wharf at Lachine. A second buoyed channel leads NW from close S of Ile Dorval and then along the shore of Ile de Montreal to the Ottawa River.

Caution.—Owing to changing conditions, buoys in Lac Saint-Louis may be moved to mark the best small craft channels. Also, owing to the background illumination of the communities situated on Ile de Montreal, aids to navigation may be difficult to identify at night. Mainers are advised to exercise caution when entering small craft channels.

Dorval (45°26'N., 73°45'W.), a small village, stands close W of Lachine. A church spire in the village is conspicuous from the lake.

Pointe-Claire (45°26'N., 73°49'W.), the site of a small city, stands W of Dorval and is fronted by a shallow pier.

Beaconsfield, a similar city, stands W of Pointe-Claire and is fronted by a shallow basin enclosed by breakwaters.

Ile Dowker (45°24'N., 73°54'W.) lies SW of Beaconsfield and N of Ile Perrot. Lynch Channel, the main passage to the Ottawa River, passes N of this island.

The town of Ste.-Anne-de-Bellevue stands at the SW end of Ile de Montreal at the entrance to the Ottawa River. Two bridges span the passage between Ile de Montreal and Ile Perrot. Saint-Anne Lock leads from Lac Saint-Louis into Lac Des Deux Montagnes, close along the SW end of Ile de Montreal.