Rivers were used for water transport much
earlier than canals. This is because rivers were around much earlier than
canals.
A river eats away the landscape as it flows
through it. A canal doesn't.
The water level of a canal changes
dramatically as its lock gate opens and closes. The water level of the river
doesn’t change as much.
The walls of the canal are lined with
concrete.
The walls of a canal could collapse. This
wouldn’t happen with a river.
A river can be divided into three stages
according to the speed of its current and the width of the river. A
canal is divided into sections but only by the canal locks.
You can choose where to build a canal. A river chooses its own path.
Canals are divided into sections by lock
gates. This allows plants to grow in clear separate sections
