11.2 Definitions, classification and some waterways
11.2.1 Definitions and classification of waterwaysWaterways can be divided into three classes:
- natural channels, i.e. rivers, or parts of rivers, the flow of which is not
modified – the river channel may be improved by river training works; - canalized rivers, the flow of which is to a greater or smaller degree
controlled by engineering works; - canals, entirely artificial waterways whose water is obtained by diver-
sion from rivers, by pumping or from reservoirs.
In the endeavour to ensure gradual unification of European water-
ways and the standardization of their parameters, the Economic Commis-
sion for Europe adopted, in 1961, a uniform classification of inland
waterways. This classification is based on the dimensions and the tonnage
of traditional standard vessels, and classifies the waterways into six classes
(Cˇábelka, 1976; Cˇábelka and Gabriel, 1985); I400 t, II650 t,
III1000 t, IV1500 t, V3000 t, and VI3000 t. For every class the
necessary parameters of the waterway and its structures were deduced
from the parameters of standard vessels.
Simultaneously with the adoption of the above classification, it was
agreed that the European waterways of international importance would be
so built or reconstructed as to ensure that their parameters would corres-
pond with the requirements of at least class IV and permit continuous
passage to vessels of a tonnage between 1350 and 1500 tons. Waterways of
classes I–III have a regional character.
Large European rivers, such as the Rhine, the Danube and others,
are being made navigable at present mostly to the parameters of class
V. Class VI includes primarily the Russian navigable rivers and canals, or
the lowland stretches of the longest European rivers. Similar or even
larger dimensions are found in navigable rivers of other continents,
notably in North and South America.
The above-mentioned international classification of inland water-
ways was adopted in the period when – with the exception of motorboats –
towing by tug boats was used almost exclusively. Since about 1970,
however, this traditional navigation technology has been almost com-
pletely replaced in Europe (and much earlier in the USA) by the
economically and operationally more advantageous pushing of the barges
by push-boats (Section 11.4.2).
The introduction of this new technology resulted in proposals for the
amendment of the existing waterway classification (Hilling, 1977). An
economic Europe class II pushed barge type, with dimensions of
76.5 m11.4 m2.5 m and a tonnage of 1660 t, was proposed by Seiler