The construction of the Halden Canal near the Norwegian town of Halden began in 1852. The canal allows ships to sail parallel to the Swedish border for 75 km from Tistedal to Skulerud. Engebret Soot (1786-1859) was responsible for this canal, as for the earlier Soot Canal. Tistedal is located 4 km from the sea in Halden. Ships can travel here by road and from Ørje to the Dalsland Canal. The Norwegian Directorate of Cultural Heritage has listed the Halden Canal as a priority technical and industrial heritage site.
Water in the Halden Canal is controlled by four sets of locks (sluser). The Strømsfoss and Ørje locks were built between 1857 and 1860. In 1865 the river section of the Stenselv Canal was completed with two locks at Krappet. The locks in the Halden Canal can discharge vessels with a length of 24 m, a width of 6 m and a draught of 1,6 m.
The Ørje lock is located in the north of the system, near the town of Ørje. Facilities include a lock museum and three locks with a total height difference of 10 metres. The gates of the canal locks are manually operated. Ørje lock was built in 1860. The stone of the canal builder Engebreth Soot was erected in Ørje.
The Strømsfoss lock is located near Strømsfoss (in the middle of the system) and has one lock and an elevation of 2 m. Locks were built in 1860.
