anner ▁of ▁Labour ▁upon ▁their ▁release . ▁ ▁Upon ▁completion , ▁the ▁Vol ga – Don ▁Canal ▁became ▁an ▁important ▁link ▁of ▁the ▁Un ified ▁Deep ▁Water ▁Transport ation ▁System ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁USS R . ▁ ▁Operation ▁ ▁The ▁canal ▁starts ▁at ▁the ▁S are pta ▁back water ▁on ▁the ▁Vol ga ▁River ▁( s outh ▁of ▁Vol g og rad ; ▁Lock ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁and ▁the ▁gateway ▁arch ▁are ▁at ▁) ▁and ▁ends ▁in ▁the ▁T sim ly ansk ▁Res er voir ▁of ▁the ▁Don ▁River ▁at ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Kal ach - na - Don u . ▁The ▁canal ▁has ▁nine ▁one - ch am ber ▁canal ▁lo cks ▁on ▁the ▁Vol ga ▁slope ▁that ▁can ▁raise ▁ships ▁, ▁and ▁four ▁canal ▁lo cks ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁kind ▁on ▁the ▁Don ▁slope ▁that ▁can ▁lower ▁ships ▁. ▁The ▁overall ▁dimensions ▁of ▁the ▁canal ▁lo cks ▁are ▁smaller ▁than ▁those ▁on ▁the ▁Vol ga ▁River , ▁however ▁they ▁can ▁pass ▁ships ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁t onnes ▁cargo ▁capacity . ▁The ▁smallest ▁lo cks ▁are ▁ ▁long , ▁ ▁wide , ▁and ▁ ▁deep . ▁Max imum ▁allowed ▁vessel ▁size ▁is ▁ ▁long , ▁ ▁wide ▁and ▁ ▁deep ▁( the ▁Vol go – Don ▁Max ▁Class ). ▁ ▁The ▁Vol ga – Don ▁Canal ▁is ▁filled ▁from ▁the ▁Don ▁river ; ▁three ▁powerful ▁p ump ing ▁stations ▁maintain ▁water ▁levels . ▁Water ▁is ▁also ▁taken ▁from ▁the ▁canal ▁and ▁used