Climate Change Leaves Canal Reservoirs Short

Low rainfall on the Canal Hydrographic Basin in recent days have not been sufficient for the Alajuela reservoir to remain at its reference level, said the Panama Canal Authority on  Friday, November 22.

At 7:00 am, Lake Alajuela recorded 74.16 meters, lower than its guide level of 74.39 meters, while the Gatun reservoir continued below its reference with  25.16 meters, below its  26.68 meters guide level.

As a result of the low rains nationwide, including the hydrographic basin of the interoceanic highway, the Canal has prioritized water storage in Lake Alajuela in the management of reservoirs, through measures such as limiting energy generation at the Madden hydroelectric.

Gatún and Alajuela are artificial lakes that store the rainwater that falls in the Canal watershed and from there they supply the water treatment plants that serve two million people in the provinces of Panama, Colon and Panama Oeste, as well as the interoceanic operations.

As a result of climate change, several regions of the country are affected by a prolonged drought, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency in the provinces of Coclé, Colón, Darién, Herrera, Los Santos, and Veraguas.

Faced with this situation and anticipating the deficit of water accumulation in reservoirs a few weeks after the beginning of the dry season, the  Canal Authority has redoubled the measures it has been applying to conserve water and have a more efficient use in the operations of the interoceanic route.