The Vistula-Oder Waterway is a section of the Waterway E70, one of the country's three international waterways. It constitutes Poland's only existing connection of the eastern and western systems of European waterways. It runs through three provinces: Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province, Wielkopolskie Province and Lubuskie Province.
In 1996, the Vistula-Oder waterway was included in the network of the European waterway system as part of the Waterway E70 in the AGN (European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance) agreement.
The Vistula-Oder waterway is divided into the following sections:
The beginning of the waterway connecting the Vistula and Oder rivers was the construction of the Bydgoszcz Canal (1773âÂÂ1774), which connected the Vistula (Brda) and Oder (NoteÃÂ) river basins. The canal was rebuilt twice: at the beginning of the 19th century and in 1908âÂÂ1915. The first regulation works on the Noteà, which resulted in the construction of water steps and a deepened and straightened riverbed, were carried out in 1863âÂÂ1888. Between 1891 and 1898, the NoteàBystra was regulated on the section between the mouth of the Gwda and the Drawa. A total of 105 cuts were made between Nakà Âo and the mouth of the Drawa, eliminating river bends with a radius of less than 180 m, shortening the course of the Noteàin this area from 169.8 to 140.1 km. However, these works did not lead to the complete straightening of the river. During subsequent works carried out in 1910âÂÂ1914, the canalization of the Noteàwas completed over a length of 140 km. Between Dziembowo and the mouth of the Drawa, seven water steps (locks and weirs) were built, while in Bydgoszcz a new section of the Bydgoszcz Canal was created with two new locks with a dam height of 7.5 m.
The inland shipping route Vistula-Oder competed economically with the sea route through Gdaà Âsk, taking over most of the transport of timber from Russia and the Kingdom of Poland to the German Empire. The peak of freight transport was recorded in the first decade of the 20th century. Between 1903 and 1907, an average of 3,585 boats and steamboats passed through the route each year, transporting 253,000 tons of goods and 43,200 rafts with 441,000 tons of timber. After 1920, the waterway was divided by the political border between Poland and Germany, which had a negative impact on the volume of cargo shipping. The waterway became entirely within Poland's borders after 1945. The economic importance of the route declined after 1980, but since the 1990s, its tourist significance has been growing.
The most important marinas:
There are (from Bydgoszcz to Krzyà ¼) 22 navigation locks, several large ports and transshipment quays, including in Bydgoszcz, Nakà Âo, Ujà Âcie, Czarnków, Krzyà ¼, Gorzów and Kostrzyn and many passenger marinas including in Bydgoszcz, Santok, Gorzów and Kostrzyn.
Locks on the VistulaâÂÂOder Waterway
The Vistula-Oder waterway is besides connected to a number of waterways that serve tourists: the Lubuski Waterway, the Oder, the Warta, the Brda, and the Lower Vistula.
In 2007, the marshals of the six provinces bordering the E-70 road signed an agreement on cooperation in revitalizing this waterway.
The Vistula-Odra waterway has Class Ib or Class II parameters and does not meet the requirements of the AGN agreement stipulating that inland waterways of international importance should have at least Class IV parameters.
Obtaining these parameters is possible with the construction of new navigation stages on the Vistula, Brda, Warta and Notec, which involves enormous costs and conflicts with the requirements of nature protection (sizable sections of the Oder-Vistula road are located in Natura 2000 areas). In this situation, it is envisaged to maintain the route and the existing hydrotechnical facilities while maintaining the current parameters.
The Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation is considering changing the route of the E-70 waterway in Poland with greater use of the Warta River, through Poznaà  and Wà Âocà Âawek.