Van Harinxmakanaal

The van Harinxmakanaal is a major canal in western Frisland. It runs from the sea at Harlingen eastwards to Leeuwarden.^[1] Major places along the canal include Franeker, Dronrijp and Deinum. The canal is 37.5 kilometers long. It was named after Pieter Albert Vincent van Harinxma thoe Slooten in 1950 who was King's Commissioner to Friesland from 1909 to 1945. Prior to this date it was called Harlinger Trekvaart.^[2] However this was widened and deepened, and a few corners cut off in 1951. At Suawoude it joins the Prinses Margriet Canal.

van Harinxmakanaal
The barge Bijlmermeer on the canal
Country	Netherlands
Specifications
Length	37.5 km (23.3 miles)
Geography
Direction	East
Start point	North Sea
End point	near Leeuwarden
Beginning coordinates	53.178°N 5.414°E / 53.178; 5.414
Ending coordinates	53.170°N 5.931°E / 53.170; 5.931

Location map of the van Harinxmakanaal in the Netherlands

The lock Tsjerk Hiddessluizen situated at the connection to the Harlingen harbour maintains the water level in the canal.^[3] The canal water level is connected to the water system called Friese boezem, consisting of lakes, waterways and canals in Friesland.^[4]

Biology

The van Harinxmakanaal has allowed the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) to move freely to new habitats in lakes and rivers in Friesland since 2002. However the banks of the canal are unsuitable for otters as there is no vegetation.^[5]

Capacity

The canal has been engineered to allow CEMT class IV vessels to transverse. These can have a draft of 3 m, a maximum length of 105 m, width 9.5 m and be up to 2000 tonnes.^[6] The height limit under bridges is 5.45 m.^[7]

Table of traffic traversing Tsjerk Hidessluizen

year	traffic	reference
2009	3328	[8]
2011	3956	[8]

Crossing points

van Harinxmakanaal is crossed by a number of bridges or aqueducts. The following are derived from Google Maps.

No.	Name	Kind	Crossing	Image
B1	Tsjerk Hiddessluizen	Road bridge (2 Bascule bridges)	N 390 Harlingen - Almenum (Oude Ringmuur)
B2	Koningsbrug	road bridge (Bascule bridge)	Midlum - Harlingen
A1	Akwadukt Van Harinxmakanaal	aqueduct	N 31 Zurich - Drachten (Waadseewei)
B3	Brug Kiesterzijl	road bridge (swing bridge)	Kiesterzijl - Kie
B4	Frisiabrêge	road bridge (bascule bridge)	N 384 Tzummarum - Deersum (Burg. J. Dijkstraweg)
B5	Stationsbrug	road bridge (double-beam drawbridge)	Franeker - Tzum (Stationsweg)
B6	Brug Dronrijp	road bridge (bascule bridge)	Dronrijp - Winsum (It Heech)
B7	Brug Ritsumazijl	road bridge (bascule bridge)	Ritsumazijl - Deinum (Hegedijk)
A2	Richard Hageman Aquaduct	aqueduct	N 31 Zurich - Drachten
A3	Margaretha Zelle Akwadukt	aqueduct	Leeuwarden - Deinum (Johannes Brandsmaweg)
B8	Spoorbrug HRM	rail bridge (swing bridge)	Leeuwarden - Harlingen (Harlingen–Nieuweschans railway) Leeuwarden - Stavoren (Leeuwarden–Stavoren railway)
B9	Spoorbrug HRMK	rail bridge (swing bridge)	Leeuwarden - Arnhem (Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway)
B10	Van Harinxmabrug	road bridge (2 bascule bridges)	Leeuwarden - Goutum (Overijsselselaan)
A4	M.C. Escher Akwadukt	aqueduct	Leeuwarden - Drachten (Drachtsterweg)

Tributaries

A number of smaller canals and water courses connect with the varinxmakanaal. These are shallower and have lower bridge clearances but may be suitable for recreational vessels.^[9]

Canals and tributaries

Name	km[10]	From	Direction	To	Reference
Noordergracht [nl]	36.9	Tsjerk Hiddesluizen	southeast
Ried	36.4		North and South
Verbindingkanal		Koningsbrug	Southwest	Franekertrekvaart, central Harlingen
Harlingertrekvaart	35.35		East	Moorings
Marconihaven	34.8	Harlingen east	north	Harbour
Achlumer Feart	34.6	Harlingen east	South	Achlum
Arumer Feart / Arumervaart	29.7	Franeker	Southwest	Arum, Achlum
Franeker Watersport Vereniging	29.2		North		[11]
Tsjomer Feart		Franeker	East-southeast	Tzum
Krommer Gracht	28.6	Franeker	West	NW Franeker
Noorder Gracht	28.3	Franeker	North	Doanjumer Feart
Alde Trekfeart	27.3	Franeker	West	Noorder Gracht	[9]
Frjentsjerter Feart / Franekervaart	25.5	Franeker	Southeast	Winsum, Easterlittens	[9]
Hatsumer Opfeart			Southeast	Hatsum
Harnzer Trekfeart [fy] (cutoff)	22.4	Dronrijp	Northeast
		Dronrijp	West	Trailerhelling Dronryp	[12]
Longebuorster Feart [fy] / Lange Buurstervaart		Southeast	non-navigable
Puolfeart		De Poelen	North	non-navigable
Molesleat			Southwest
Boalserter Feart [fy] / Bolswarder Vaart	17.3		South	Bolsward	[9]
Blessumer Feart [fy]	15.8		Southeast	Blessum
Menamer Feart [fy]		Deinum	Northwest	Menaldum	[9]
De Swette [nl]	11.8	Leeuwarden	South	Sneek	[9]
		Middelsee Goutum	South
		Himpenserdijkbrug	South	Goutum, de Klamp, Wiarda
?Drachtsterweg		M.C. Escher Aquaduct	North
Nauwe Greuns			South	Teerns, Hempens, Zuiderburen
Wide Groens			North
Woudmansdiep			North
Wergeasterfeart		Hmpenser Wielen	South	Wergea
Alde Lune	2.8		North	Louwsmeer
Nijdijp	1.2	Lange Meer	North	Tytsjerk

A pumping station was built next to the Richard Hageman Aquaduct in 2014. This pumps water from the adjacent polders after it comes through a wetland to remove sludge.^[13]

map of Harlinger Trekvaart from 1856 showing tributaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Incidents

The opening of Spoorbrug HRMK broke down on 7 September 2021, closing the canal to shipping at this point. A cylinder was replaced restoring function on 4 October 2021.^[14]

See also

• Dronrijp Reprisals