Why the Panama Canal is Dying

This is why the Panama Canal is dying. In this detailed exploration, we unravel the gripping tale of how a monumental engineering marvel faces its most challenging adversary yet: a severe drought.
The Panama Canal, celebrated for its ingenuity and scale, is now grappling with unprecedented water scarcity. Unveil the secrets behind the canal's history, from its audacious conception to the monumental challenges of its construction. Delve into the impact this iconic waterway has on global trade, reshaping economies and everyday lives.
Witness the staggering traffic jams plaguing the canal as vessels queue up, waiting for their turn to traverse this critical passageway. Discover the astonishing amount of freshwater required for a single ship's transit and how the relentless drought has disrupted this flow, leading to reduced vessel transits and extended wait times.
But amidst this challenge, explore the Panama Canal Authority's innovative strategies to combat the water shortage. From cross-filling lockages to environmental and economic incentives, witness the proactive measures taken to conserve water and safeguard this lifeline of international trade.
Learn about draft management and lock optimization strategies employed to reduce water usage, ensuring a sustainable future for the canal. Explore potential solutions, including water recycling systems and climate-resilient infrastructure, paving the way for a resilient and adaptive canal system.
This video is a testament to the Panama Canal's resilience and the nation's dedication to overcoming challenges. Dive into the heart of this crisis and witness how a beacon of innovation strives to navigate through a temporary drought, envisioning a future where sustainable solutions reign supreme. Join us as we unveil the untold story of the Panama Canal's battle against water scarcity and the quest for lasting solutions.
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[@BeyondFacts]

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[@trinibossj3570]

😊

[@lochnessmonster5149]

Panama goes through a continuous cycle of wet years and drought but the average annual rainfall has been increasing for the last century.

[@tobyw9573]

When I was stationed in the CZ in the early 1970s I was late getting back to the barracks around noon when the first drop of water hit me, I grabbed all the throttle of my dirt bike I could, and after 100 yards slid to a stop, and dashed across the street into the barracks. I was soaked like I had jumped into a pool! Even the money in my wallet was drenched! You could not see the other side of the street! Not so in later years, I later heard.

[@albertomanuelcheung7103]

Wishful thinking, but the Panama Canal is thriving as always since 1914. Panama has always being blessed with plenty of rain and rivers flowing into the Lake Gatun. El Niño could affect with drought periods, but is always temporarily and the rains always come back.

[@eddyeroyal6024]

I read that they are going to redesign it, so it can take on larger ships.

[@nomercyinc6783]

they are literally building a bigger set of locks currently

[@benw1726]

Maybe I'm stupid but can someone answer why they can't just pump the water or pull the water from the other side of the lock where the ship will be going? Then when they open the lock up it just flows together anyway . 🤷🤷

[@albertomanuelcheung7103]

That's how is done. The lock system is like an elevator. When the ship is between locks, the level of water goes down to descent the ship. That water is pump back to the previous level. When the ship attains sea level, the lock is opened and the ship continues its journey into the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean.

[@richdobbs6595]

@@albertomanuelcheung7103 No, you are wrong. There are no pumps in the Panama canal that pump water uphill.

[@richdobbs6595]

Its a matter of equipment and economics. The existing system doesn't need to buy pumps or pay for the energy to run them. So there are no pumps, and they probably can't be bought and installed during the time frame of the current crisis. Looking at the longer term, it probably makes more sense to expand the watershed used for supplying water to the locks rather than investing in the pumps and the energy infrastructure to run them. But if the problem got worse enough they could indeed pump water uphill. The value of transiting the Panama Canal versus going around South America is sufficient to pay for moving the water. This would probably be combined with other infrastructure that would reduce water usage at the cost of greater cost to build the system. For example, the old locks don't have intermediary water storage basins, so they use much more water per value of cargo than the new locks.

[@albertomanuelcheung7103]

@@richdobbs6595 When the canal was expanded recently, new reservoirs were built, so the water is reused/recicled. Panamá has two large oceans at each end and another solution would be to build a desalination plant on the Caribbean side and pump water from the Atlantic into the Gatun Lake. That's another option if push comes to shove.

[@richdobbs6595]

@@albertomanuelcheung7103 Yeah, I'm aware that the new locks have intermediate basins that allow reuse of water, so that they reduce the amount of water consumed per ship passage. But desalination, from an energetic point of view is not a feasible approach to this issue. At that point it would be cheaper to sail around Patagonia and build the extra ships for the longer journey. I'm guessing that you aren't an engineer, so your assumption that desalination is viable is forgivable. But if you are an engineer or an economist, you should be embarrassed.

[@spigetyboggie4559]

“Navigated diplomatic waters” is an interesting way of saying orchestrated a coup

[@nomercyinc6783]

like other countries havent done this.

[@r.a972]

Why not use cloud seeding to address the drought? Or does only Dubai have access to that techonogy?

[@nickgorthius1017]

How much would it cost to flow the water back into the 2 lakes ?

[@LeeB48]

There is one particular error in the video that needs attention. At approximately the 9:00 minute mark when addressing ship's draft issues... "Less water is required to raise ship with fewer drafts..." It makes no difference what the ship's draft is or even the size of the ship, the same amount of water is lost to sea with each transit. The same amount of water is lost to sea whether a rowboat is transiting the Canal or a deeply laden bulk carrier. May I offer a few suggestions on pronunciation of some of the local names. Gatun is pronounced Gah-tune or with less emphasis on the Gah... Gatune The "a" is short. Alhajuela is pronounced Al-a-way-la Calibra Cut is actually Culebra Cut. That portion of the Canal was named after a small railroad town that was located in the vicinity. Also the original excavation had more twists and turns than it does now. Since culebra is the Spanish word for snake it seemed even more appropriate. Under the US administration the "Cut" was named Gaillard Cut in honor of the engineer who oversaw that part of the construction of the Canal. Col. David Gaillard died just before the completion of the Canal. Panama returned to using the original name, Culebra when they took over operation of the Canal. The Canal officials have been aware for years that insufficient rainfall was potential issue. I am aware of studies as far back as the 1970s that would increase the amount of water that would be available to maintain peak draft levels. A number of viable solutions have been identified, but to date none of the studies have materialized.

[@andreww2319]

If they identified the problem and viable solutions why has nothing been done?

[@LeeB48]

I think when you factor in the cost of creating additional reservoirs or other huge expenditures there is always a tendency to kick that can down the road. That way it "appears" something is being done. There are some other issues at play as well, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP Spanish initials) only controls the watershed around Gatun and Alahjuela Lakes, area for additional reservoirs are all outside the area they control. To build there would involve the national government to enact legislation. That seems simple enough, however there is a strong ecological movement that is pretty much anti any development. No doubt there are some in that movement that have legitimate concerns, however IMO I believe much it comes down to if they are for it, we are against it politics. El Nino is at the root of the water woes at the Canal and it is very strong this year and affected the Canal adversely. There have been very strong El Nino events previously in 82-83, 97-98 and 2014-2016 which impacted the Canal as well. However these were largely before the opening of the new locks and there were a lot fewer vessels requiring maximum draft allowance. In between all those very strong El Ninos rainfall was not an issue, so it is a lot harder to convince people to spend billions of $$$ on new reservoirs when the Canal's lakes were full.@@andreww2319

[@andreww2319]

Thanks. Yours is a very subtle answer and no doubt based on deep local knowledge and understanding. The issue intrigues me as a corollary to the spectacular ousting of First Quantum which struck me as actually the sign of very deep local political problems masquerading as an environmental issue. I then spent a lot of time mapping the dismal and disintegrating history and state of local Panamanian politics. Certainly the elites have failed, but the environmental crusaders are simply blocking everything. I also liked your frankness around the fact that droughts are as much technically manufactured as they are tagged to passing weather patterns. If you have seen it, Ashley Case of Vanderbilt Uni. wrote a masterly paper on this “An Infrastructural Event: Making Sense of Panama’s Drought. Thanks very much for responding.

[@LeeB48]

I have not read the paper you referenced, but I have found it. I will read it, thanks.@@andreww2319

[@aniketprasad3128]

Why saline water cant be used?

[@gregjock7238]

some other posters made some overly simplistic solutions. that is what i have. first- why not just pump water up to the lake from the sea. then there will be a never ending supply of water to flow down hill thru the locks. second - why not build a third canal with modern heavy equipment scrapers and take the land down to sea level, and eliminate locks completely like the suez. send 200 scrapers to cut a new channel to sea to sea. no locks.

[@kenp2392]

Oh, if it was that simple, it would have been done by now.

[@johnrebel9539]

Shows a ship in a lock pumping out water but never mentions anything about ships being able to pump out water they carry for ballast to reduce their draught when in calmer waters such as canal.

[@Peter.L.Rodin.B]

The mine near the canal has caused this problem .

[@DAVIDMAINORD]

TIME TO BUILD A NEW ONE.

[@criticaltheories5222]

At least the Houthes aren't showering them with missiles

[@markdavis580]

If the seas are rising, why is the canal drying up?

[@PatriciaLucious-ll2vm]

Why is it raining and flooding everywhere except here ?

[@Scott89878]

It's an El Nino year. We had one of those in 2015 and 2006 too. So, if you could not fear monger a climate crisis, that would be great.

[@LUVUTV]

great videos

[@dcarey5480]

Bummer but still a a wonderful accomplishment of mankind's work to over come water limitations....definitely shorter than going around south America

[@jojobaker1764]

Wouldn't four million dollars more than cover the fuel to go around .

[@hotelmamacanino]

I live in Panama and there is one big problem: corruption. The last two presidents and its goverments just focus on close deals and cut a lot of trees for gold mines and build houses.😢😢😢😢 This the big reason and unfortunately it still continues and more and more of trees are cut off every day 😢😢😢😢 please share this video and let's make everyone know the truth about Panama and the corruption crisis

[@scottweisel3640]

Why was the new canal approved if this concerns exists?

[@zollar98]

Didn't they recently built a new set of locks where they have a reservoir that holds the water to recycle the water used to service the locks.?

[@LeeB48]

Yes, they have water saving basins. The use of the WSBs can reduce the total amount of water lost to sea. A ship using the new locks will use a little less water than the water used at the original locks even though the new locks are somewhat larger.

[@peternewman3487]

They can re cycle 60% of the water used but 40% is lost but the main problem at the moment is a drastic lack of rain in that area.

[@ddunn3489]

WELL....Was Gatun lake designed for the new expansion ??? When I lived in the Canal Zone we had some dry rainy seasons also.

[@LeeB48]

I think the designers and builders would be absolutely amazed at the size and amount of ships that pass through the original locks alone, now if you include the new expansions locks they would be in disbelief. Having said that, I feel sure that they were confident that there would be an ample supply of water for the traffic they probably envisioned. Back in 1935 Madden Dam and Lake (the Lake is now called Alhajuela) were completed upstream of the Canal on the Chagres River. The main purpose for the Dam was to help regulate the inflows of water from the Chagres. There was a secondary purpose as well and that was to store additional water for the Dry Seasons. The original designers were aware that there could be water supply issues. One of the methods to use less water during drier times, extra miter gates were installed so the 1000' chamber could be compartmentalized so that only 650' of the chamber was needed to lock a smaller ship through. Ships up to 500' could use the shorter chamber. Less water lost to sea per transit. Average rainfall over the Canal's watershed is around 105" as compared to this year's total to date of 70". Even though 70" seems a reasonable amount, it is just not enough to bring Gatun Lake up to it maximum operating level which is 88.5'. Ironically last year 2022, was a very wet year and Gatun Lake set a record high of just under 89'. Particularly since the opening of the new locks more and more ships transit with deeper draft requirements. One side benefit of the opening of the new locks is all the channels of the Canal have been deepened to allow the larger ships with deeper draft to transit. This has helped ships transiting the original locks to continue to transit with maximum draft even though Gatun Lake is at less than ideal levels. The maximum draft for ships using the original locks is 39.5' That draft level can be maintained until Gatun Lake reaches 78'. Before the Canal expansion once Gatun Lake dropped below 85' the maximum permitted draft had to be reduced 0.5' for every half foot the Gatun Lake dropped. Back 20 or 30 years ago that draft reduction would not have affected nearly as many ships as it now does. @@ddunn3489

[@ddunn3489]

@LeeB48 correct..but Panama thought the USA made millions off the Canal...but in reality they made just enough to maintain it and pay workers and also Pay Panama a BIG check. So when they took over it in 1999 they figured that out and raised rates many times.. then found out they needed more ships. So they built the expansion. IE: My father was the Chief accountant for the Panama Canal.

[@lawrencejneuser8801]

Dredge the canal deeper, and illuminate one level of locks!

[@dogsbollux104]

Desalination of Pacific and Caribbean Sea water could be used to raise the fresh water lake level to alleviate the issues caused by drought.

[@WillyK51]

You have no idea how expensive desalinization is. Impractical. But no worry, Nicaragua and Mexico are building new canals. Guess Ortega and AMLO made a deal with God, so it will rain all year over these canals

[@jlansdowne]

@@WillyK51 This is misinformation. Neither Nicaragua nor Mexico are building new canals.

[@WillyK51]

You Should look into Mexico news, Nicaragua had the Chineese asses the viabillity of building one with Chinas money. Whether they will, is something else. If there is no rain for the Panama canal there won't be for other canals@@jlansdowne

[@richdobbs6595]

It would not be necessary to desalinate water, you would just need to recycle water from lower in the system to higher. This would be cheaper than building and operating desalination plants. But, like all such solutions, the time to implement any corrective actions is greater than the expected time that the current crisis will last.

[@snorttroll4379]

use the ship motor as pumps so they have to lift themselves.

[@jamesjross]

is anyone noticing the youtube copycat problem?

[@allgodsarefake6044]

Air and magnetism

[@geoffkeeys6946]

Well, I didn't need to watch the video çause I can see from the thumbnail that the canal dried up and a boat got stuck. There, saved everyone 10 minutes.

[@timkis64]

wouldnt more ships in the lakes raise the water levels by more water being displaced? one would think it would automatically increase the draft clearance under the hulls.

[@stevenparker8076]

That would then require more water to loch those ships.

[@kingjames8283]

What about this so-called "sea-rise" which is inundating land mass I keep hearing about? If the sea levels are rising so fast that coastal cities are under water, then how is the Panama Canal falling short?

[@MrRobertjusher]

Did you even watch the video??

[@peteralflat281]

Since 1880 global average sea levels have risen about 8 inches. So it won't make a difference to the locks. The rate of increase is accelerating but it's still not going to overtop the locks.

[@TheBatugan77]

​@@MrRobertjusher Did you even KissMyTuchus?

[@claytonparks1132]

With two oceans to draw from, why are we running out of water?

[@michaelturner6358]

Went through the canal 2 years ago.. didn’t look anything like your thumbnail photo. False advertisement.

[@katmandoism]

Why can't they pump water from the oceans to fill the locks?

[@richdobbs6595]

There aren't pumps, or the energy to run them, and without careful engineering that would contaminate the water supply for the populace.

[@gk9417]

Did they adjust for the curve 🤷🙏✌️🇨🇦

[@CharlesNewkirk-lb6uh]

It's not! It just has to rain!

[@stevenparker8076]

It is Gatoon not Gattin.

[@MrEdflynn]

The locks are to big now . The amount of water wasted is to great with huge tankers . The water will be back someday . Just look at California right now

[@lawrencejneuser8801]

Panama Needs to get it's thinking cap on before somebody else does it for them and puts them out of business.

[@tobyw9573]

Wikipedia has a piece on the New Locks.

[@mtz3843]

no fresh water just start using ocean water simple fix, both sides are oceans.

[@cesargonzalez5376]

I'm from Panama this is all bulshit to freak people out they're doing this on purpose for real🤔😉🤙

[@carmenvelez3327]

The disturbed the nature cycle by destroying so many forests.

[@waltbroedner4754]

Your history is not quite right, Theodore Roosevelt first stole the panama isthmus from Colombia then created Panama the country controlled by the US, then the US built the canal. Wikipedia: In 1902-1904, the United States forced Colombia to grant independence to the Department of the Isthmus, bought the remaining assets of the Panama Canal Company, and finished the canal in 1914. Did the U.S. free Panama from Colombia? (typical brainwashing US, FREE Panama) The area that became Panama was part of Colombia until the Panamanians revolted, with U.S. support, in 1903. In 1904, the United States and Panama signed a treaty that allowed the United States to build and operate a canal that traversed Panama. US Department of State (.gov0 The financial terms were unacceptable to Colombia's congress, and it rejected the offer. President Roosevelt responded by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama City (on the Pacific) and Colón (on the Atlantic) in support of Panamanian independence. When did the US control of the Panama Canal end? December 31, 1999 The second, called The Panama Canal Treaty, stated that the Panama Canal Zone would cease to exist on October 1, 1979, and the Canal itself would be turned over to the Panamanians on December 31, 1999. These two treaties were signed on September 7, 1977.

[@westvillefinest697]

with the dump trucks we have now why not just build a biggert and better one now..

[@rdsieben]

You have been misinformed about the Panama Canal doomsday. It is running business as usual. I was there and there are no significant water level drops

[@user-xg9qz5dr5v]

Its not climate change and its not rocket science - more ships, larger ships = more water required.

[@punch_bowl_turd3005]

but how can it dry up with climate change drastically raising sea levels?

[@sleekchaser3049]

Why not just use the water from the ocean. It might find a way to do it

[@henrybourdon6712]

I think it was made on purpose to need lakes for water to feed the locks. What if it was dug deep enough so the two oceans could feed it without locks? Money is the real source of it's design.

[@howardguthrie7869]

Who wrote this crap? Deliberate distort history or ignorance.

[@montyklaus7223]

Since global warming and rising seas shouldn’t the ships just float over the Panama Canal? Seams reasonable

[@UnwantedGhost1-anz25]

Couldn't the canal be dig bigger to be a Central American Seaway once again?

[@richdobbs6595]

Too expensive and would take too long to implement.

[@rossjohnson1872]

Big issue today is the world has trouble with both canals. War in the Red Sea? Ships travel half way across ithmus in a lake 87 feet above sea level. Going west they have lift locks to get to the big lake. Then a mountain range to get over and down from to the Pacific. Water for these locks comes from a lake on the west side at an even higher elevation. When you visualize the Panama canal, think half canal + half lake. Ships spend so much time in the big fresh water lake that all the barnacles on their hulls die.

[@stevenparker8076]

It has re covered before. But maybe they should consider taking it down to sealevel.

[@jlansdowne]

It would cost hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars to do this.

[@cynthiacarter532]

Thing is, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans each have different sea levels at the 2 shorelines of Panama. No way could it be a simple canal without locks. I was born in the former Panama Canal Zone in 1951. We moved to San Francisco in 1954. My parents said they saw “the handwriting on the wall”. Wish I remembered it more.

[@1292liam]

just have it the same level all the way through.

[@toddsmith1617]

That's what I was thinking.

[@UnwantedGhost1-anz25]

Exactly.

[@richdobbs6595]

Too expensive and would take too long to implement. There are better alternatives, namely expanding the watershed used to run the locks.

[@ivomedic5745]

Use Northern passage ,avoid P.canal.Convert P.canal to sea water.Spend money don’t be greedy.

[@widodoakrom3938]

Event with this building nicaragua canal isn't economy feasible

[@isaacrodriguez2523]

The earth is going to run out of water in 1987

[@budgewilliams9019]

Please pronounce the words correctly......

[@jameshaxby5434]

We need to build a new canal along the Mexican border.

[@TheBatugan77]

And fill it with alligators.

[@braveonethanks3535]

We give them the canel after the French lost twenty thousand men and then we go in there and God only knows how many men were lost and then carter gives it to them and they charge unreal amounts of money to go through it. I say we take it back period

[@richardwarner2801]

Totally false article.

[@nomercyinc6783]

panama canal yet another thing the world couldn't do without united states direct involvement

[@Marc816]

Let Penema pay for it.

[@Spectral257]

Who comes up with this bad info?

[@carolwilliams7052]

👉 Lake "Gatún" is not GAH(t)-uhn (like GATTEN) - - it is gah-TOON !!! It's jarring when the narration of a documentary mispronounces critical elements repeated over and over again. 😮

[@hari1408]

why are you completely ignoring el nino effect

[@wernerpanchenko6542]

What happened to global warming Where's that water

[@MrRobertjusher]

Did you even watch the video ??

[@lisaroberts8556]

That is strange. Almost like we were lied to 😂

[@peteralflat281]

Global warming can increase rainfall as warmer air holds more water vapour. I believe rainfall has increased in Panama in recent years after a bad year in 2019 or 2018. But CC makes the weather much more unpredictable.

[@wernerpanchenko6542]

Isn't t the world round so the water should be all over the oceans

[@ijo1759]

This video is garbage

[@saigonmonopoly1105]

where the fuck you got your fresh water constant from?S

[@noelsalisbury7448]

USA as always - right 😅 Uncle Sam has never ever made a wrong political decision in his entire history.

[@veronicaknight3950]

Got to 8 minutes before "climate crisis" was used. 😒

[@philipkoekemoer4705]

Crisis , droughts happen

[@chomihai]

Because is not raining, no need to make a video about it

[@jameswest4819]

Stolen from Columbia.

[@littlekildee]

The second you brought your political opinions into this video you ceased to leave an honest unbiased opinion. Stop pandering and be interesting.

[@PatriciaLucious-ll2vm]

It's man made. The 400 yrs r up. Genesis 15;13&14. Read that then look worldwide and see the Bible speak.

[@treymorris8096]

Listen to your lies 😂😂😂 well you America Propaganda is everything

[@sirdoobiehowzer3888]

The panama canal isn’t going anywhere. They might rebuild it and renovate, but without it the global economy would shit its pants 😂

[@saigonmonopoly1105]

$ saleman nice

[@fasteddiesgarage5000]

They should have not just figured they could dump millions

[@RosaHernandez-vy4dm]

Global warming & gravity B.S 🤪

[@fasteddiesgarage5000]

Thats what they get for letting p