344:
359:. As these rivers contribute 45 percent of the total water for the canal, the lake is an essential part of the watershed of the canal zone. The lake has a maximum level of 76 metres (250 ft) above sea level, and can store one third of the canal's annual water requirements for the operation of the locks. Lake Alajuela is not part of the navigational route, so there are fewer restrictions on its water level than for Gatun Lake. Water from the reservoir is also used to generate hydroelectric power and to supply Panama City's fresh water.
45:
394:, is the largest island on Gatun Lake and renowned internationally. Many of the most important groundbreaking scientific and biological discoveries of the tropical animal and plant kingdom took place here. Gatun Lake encompasses approximately 470 square kilometres (180 sq mi), a vast tropical ecological zone part of the Atlantic Forest Corridor. Eco-tourism on Gatun Lake has become a valuable industry for Panamanians.
52:
29:
336:
385:
At the time it was formed, Gatun Lake was the largest man-made lake in the world. The impassable rainforest around Gatun Lake has been the best defense of the Panama Canal. Today, these areas have endured practically unscathed by human interference and are among the one the few accessible areas where
381:
and provides hydroelectricity. Created in 1913 by the damming of the
Chagres River, Gatun Lake is an essential part of the Panama Canal, which forms a water passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, permitting ship transit in both directions. The lake is essential to the canal's water
332:, created in 1985 to preserve the habitat and flow of water into the canal. The terrain of the upper Chagres watershed is rugged, with its mountain slopes exceeding 45 degrees in 90 percent of its territory. Some 98 percent of the park consists of old-growth tropical forest.
435:
species has flourished and become the dominant game fish in Gatun Lake. It hits topwater lures, subsurface lures imitating bait fish, and a variety of fly patterns, and when hooked they fight energetically. They are unusual for preferring to feed during daylight hours.
382:
supply, as it provides the millions of gallons of water at the high level needed for the locks to function correctly. The lake is also part of the navigational canal and provides drinking water for Panama City and Colon.
1083:
1023:
882:
484:
In 2000, bulk carrier "Bluebill" struck railway bridge crossing the
Chagres River, near Gamboa, severely damaging bridge and severing rail route about midway between two terminals.
632:
1266:
1067:
1271:
1057:
916:
704:
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444:
The
Spanish commander Diego Cueto and his helmsman, Pedro de Umbria, visited the region in 1506. The Chagres River was explored in 1527 by
570:
537:
464:
300:—form an integral part of the canal and its water system. Although the river's natural course runs northwest to its mouth at the
44:
604:
1190:
1108:
828:
470:
Not much attention was focused on the river until the late 19th century, this time as part of the planning for construction of the
508:. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry. p. 63. Archived from
677:
452:
to the town of Cruces on the rio
Chagres, and from there by sailboats on the river all the way to its mouth. This path, called
908:
629:
343:
448:, who founded the town of Chagres at its mouth and built the fortress of San Lorenzo. Goods were transported on foot from
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1007:
214:
1227:
936:
1012:
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1256:
1103:
1017:
775:
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various native
Central American animal and plant species can be observed undisturbed in their natural habitat.
144:
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391:
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951:
780:
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478:
477:
The river's upper basin is covered by dense tropical forests. To protect that ecosystem, Panama created
387:
329:
125:
664:
453:
399:
986:
956:
785:
407:
was introduced by accident to Gatun Lake by a
Panamanian aquarist and doctor in 1958. Locally called
1028:
1139:
991:
743:
509:
416:
305:
390:, which was reserved for scientific study when the lake was formed and is today operated by the
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Angling is one of the primary recreational pursuits on Gatun Lake. It is believed that the
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http://www.pananole.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=2
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33:
The
Chagres River as seen from the highway between Panama City and Colon in 1986
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1149:
856:
760:
378:
368:
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293:
503:"The San Lorenzo Protected Area: A Summary of Cultural and Natural Resources"
229:
216:
159:
146:
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755:
374:
289:
28:
840:
926:
748:
411:
these bass are not a native game fish of Panama but originate from the
195:
347:
Original course of the
Chagres River before construction of the canal.
339:
The
Chagres River as seen from the Rainforest Resort in Gamboa, Panama
1034:
277:
96:
335:
474:. The Chagres River is the Panama Canal's chief source of water.
545:, Panama City, Panama: UNESCO, 2011, p. 168, archived from
373:
At 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) from the river's mouth lies the
686:
682:
578:, Panama City, Panama: UNESCO, 2011, p. 44, archived from
285:
328:, and the watershed of several tributaries lie within the
572:
Building
Knowledge Bridges for a Sustainable Water Future
539:
Building Knowledge Bridges for a Sustainable Water Future
431:
and are considered a premier game fish. Since 1958, the
312:
to the south. The Chagres thus has the unusual claim of
351:
The upper Chagres and its seven tributaries flow into
355:(formerly Madden Lake), the reservoir created by the
1220:
1199:
1178:
1122:
1096:
1081:
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1000:
944:
935:
907:
870:
849:
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720:
253:
245:
206:
189:
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136:
119:
111:
102:
92:
87:
67:
21:
1068:United States District Court for the Canal Zone
423:basins of South America, where they are called
698:
71:
8:
456:, was very popular until the 18th century.
1093:
941:
803:
705:
691:
683:
532:
530:
342:
334:
249:120 mi (190 km), east to west
493:
257:1,259.5 sq mi (3,262 km)
1267:Panamanian coasts of the Caribbean Sea
657:The Chagres: River of Westward Passage
18:
1272:Drainage basins of the Atlantic Ocean
605:"Parque Nacional Chagres: Hidrología"
501:Peter L. Weaver and Gerald P. Bauer.
271:
51:
7:
659:by John Easter Minter (part of the
603:Fundación Parque Nacional Chagres.
14:
1191:PSA Panama International Terminal
320:Upper Chagres River to Madden Dam
639:FSU Panama's student newspaper,
304:, its waters also flow, via the
50:
43:
27:
927:New Panamax / Post-Panamax
829:Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport
463:traveled the Chagres River to
280:, is the largest river in the
208: • coordinates
138: • coordinates
1:
1073:1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties
1008:1903 Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty
465:attack Panama City in 1670–71
324:The upper Chagres River, its
103:Physical characteristics
1013:1921 Thomson–Urrutia Treaty
284:'s watershed. The river is
191: • location
121: • location
1288:
977:George Washington Goethals
366:
1018:Isthmian Canal Commission
288:twice, and the resulting
175:
107:
38:
26:
661:Rivers of America Series
363:Gatun Dam and Gatun Lake
314:drainage into two oceans
982:William Crawford Gorgas
967:William Nelson Cromwell
392:Smithsonian Institution
972:David du Bose Gaillard
952:Philippe Bunau-Varilla
781:Bridge of the Americas
728:Panama Canal Authority
665:Rinehart & Company
348:
340:
269:Spanish pronunciation:
72:
479:Chagres National Park
388:Barro Colorado Island
346:
338:
330:Chagres National Park
126:Chagres National Park
1212:Balboa Naval Station
987:Ferdinand de Lesseps
957:Ephraim S. Claybourn
786:Panama Canal Railway
446:Hernando de la Serna
1029:Panama Canal Museum
226: /
156: /
1228:Balboa High School
992:John Frank Stevens
635:2011-07-27 at the
585:on January 6, 2014
552:on January 6, 2014
349:
341:
273:[ˈtʃaɣɾes]
1244:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1236:
1235:
1063:Canal Zone Police
1058:List of governors
962:John G. Claybourn
903:
902:
776:Centennial Bridge
261:
260:
59:Location of mouth
1279:
1257:Rivers of Panama
1094:
942:
804:
707:
700:
693:
684:
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627:
621:
620:
618:
616:
607:. Archived from
600:
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560:
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534:
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454:Camino de Cruces
433:Cichla pleiozona
400:Cichla pleiozona
377:, which created
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230:9.317°N 80.000°W
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160:9.400°N 79.283°W
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1024:Health measures
996:
931:
922:Atlantic Bridge
917:2006 referendum
899:
883:Albrook Airport
866:
845:
795:
791:Atlantic Bridge
732:
716:
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674:
653:
651:Further reading
648:
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637:Wayback Machine
628:
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515:on 10 July 2007
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130:Panamá Province
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16:River in Panama
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1050:(1904–1979/99)
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824:Cristóbal port
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672:External links
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367:Main article:
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276:), in central
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235:9.317; -80.000
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1207:Galeta Island
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1047:US Canal Zone
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839:
835:
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827:
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822:
820:
817:
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815:
812:
811:
809:
807:Atlantic side
805:
802:
798:
792:
789:
787:
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782:
779:
777:
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769:
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766:Chagres River
764:
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750:
747:
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658:
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623:
611:on 9 May 2012
610:
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457:
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430:
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421:Orinoco River
418:
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383:
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376:
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353:Lake Alajuela
345:
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331:
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311:
307:
306:canal's locks
303:
302:Caribbean Sea
299:
298:Lake Alajuela
295:
291:
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279:
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265:Chagres River
256:
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46:
37:
30:
25:
22:Chagres River
20:
1262:Panama Canal
1109:France Field
1033:
1001:Construction
871:Pacific side
765:
714:Panama Canal
656:
641:The Pananole
640:
625:
613:. Retrieved
609:the original
598:
587:, retrieved
580:the original
571:
565:
554:, retrieved
547:the original
538:
517:. Retrieved
510:the original
496:
483:
476:
472:Panama Canal
469:
461:Henry Morgan
458:
443:
432:
428:
424:
408:
405:peacock bass
398:
396:
384:
372:
350:
323:
282:Panama Canal
264:
262:
1104:Albrook AFB
1086:US military
1020:(1904–1906)
895:Panama City
862:Culebra Cut
771:Culebra Cut
643:, July 2008
459:The pirate
450:Panama City
403:species of
308:, into the
233: /
163: /
73:Río Chagres
68:Native name
1251:Categories
1145:De Lesseps
1114:Howard AFB
857:Gatun Lake
761:Gatun Lake
737:Structures
721:Management
678:Gatun Lake
519:1 November
488:References
379:Gatun Lake
369:Gatun Lake
357:Madden Dam
294:Gatun Lake
290:reservoirs
254:Basin size
1221:Education
1186:Coco Solo
1097:Airfields
909:Expansion
834:Limon Bay
819:Arco Iris
800:Locations
756:Gatun Dam
481:in 1985.
417:Rio Negro
409:Sargento,
375:Gatun Dam
326:watershed
1165:Randolph
633:Archived
589:July 27,
556:July 27,
425:Tucanare
202:, Panama
132:, Panama
88:Location
1170:Sherman
1135:Clayton
937:History
850:Passage
749:Panamax
667:; 1948)
615:28 July
440:History
292:—
196:Chagres
151:79°17′W
93:Country
80:Spanish
1155:Gulick
1130:Amador
1084:Former
1035:Box 25
945:People
890:Gamboa
878:Balboa
419:, and
413:Amazon
286:dammed
278:Panama
246:Length
221:80°0′W
218:9°19′N
185:
148:9°24′N
115:
112:Source
97:Panama
76:
1200:Radio
1179:Ports
1160:Kobbe
1150:Grant
1140:Davis
1123:Forts
841:Gatún
814:Colón
744:Locks
583:(PDF)
576:(PDF)
550:(PDF)
543:(PDF)
513:(PDF)
506:(PDF)
429:Pavon
181:Mouth
617:2012
591:2012
558:2012
521:2012
296:and
263:The
663:.
427:or
1253::
529:^
467:.
415:,
316:.
198:,
128:,
706:e
699:t
692:v
619:.
523:.
267:(
82:)
78:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
