Gatun Lake Size report

Gatun Lake (Spanish: Lago Gatun) is a long artificial lake located in central Panama, part of the Panama Canal system. This artificial lake was built in 1921 by the Gatong Dam (35 meters high and 2,400 meters long) that blocked the Chagres River and its tributaries.

Gatun Lake is an important source of water supply for the Panama Canal. The water depth is 13-16 meters, forming a 38-kilometer waterway of the Panama Canal. The dam and spillway (one of the main works of the Panama Canal) control the lake water level between 25 to 26.5 meters (82 to 87 feet); the main function is to keep the Gaillard Cut in the south with sufficient water to ensure the smoothness of the canal and to keep the water flowing in the dry season. Canal sluice water supply.

The shores of the lake are twists and turns, and the islands in the lake are staggered. Barrow Colorado Island was turned into a wildlife sanctuary in 1924. You will learn more interesting facts about Gatun Lake in the following post.

Size and Description of Gatun Lake

Gatun Lake was constructed between 1907 and 1913 due to the construction of the Gatun Dam on the Chagres River. When completed, Gatun Lake was the largest artificial lake in the world at the time, and the Gatun Dam was the largest earth-rock dam in the world. Gatun Lake is located in the valley of the Chagres River. In 1907–1913, the construction of the Gatun Dam, ten kilometers from the mouth of the Caribbean Sea, deepened the Chagres River. The hills at the border of the Chagris Valley broadly encircle the river but leave a gap of two kilometers for the Gatun Dam, making the area perfect for constructing a large lake.

Due to the artificial lake, the hilltops of many of the impoundments became islands in the lake, the largest and best known of which is Barro Colorado Island, and various animals and plants are inhabited there today. As only a small number of people live in Gatun Lake, the beautiful nature is being preserved and also gives Gatun Lake its local character.

Gatun Lake Size

Gatun Lake covers a surface area of 430 square km (166 square miles). The lake’s main function is to hold sufficient water in the Gaillard Cut to the south for canal passage and use in the canal’s locks during dry spells. Its water volume is about 5.2 cubic km (4,200,000 acre-ft).

Water Level Change

Climate change has caused the water level of Gatun Lake to drop in recent decades. The drop in Lake Gatun has also affected plans to widen the Panama Canal. Since the new locks were put into use, the canal has been able to sail neo-Panamax cargo ships since 2016. The Panamanian government wanted to continue expanding the canal to allow larger ships to pass through, but the drop in water levels has put the plan on hold for now.

Final Words

The tree-lined shores, tiny islets, and blue-green waters of Gatun Lake cover what was once the fertile Chagres River Valley. When it was created in 1913, Gatún Lake was the largest artificial lake, buttressed by the biggest dam in the world. Today, it forms an integral part of the famous Panama Canal. Gatun Lake eco-cruise is a great way to explore islands and lakeside villages before continuing along the Chagres River or the Panama Canal. Zip around the lake on a motorboat, take a small-boat tour to Monkey Island, or kayak around the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. These water activities allow you to enjoy different wonderful lake views.