History
Interesting Facts
The Panama Canal is designated as one of the "Seven Wonders of the Modern World and a Monument of the Millennium" by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The earth and rubble removed between Colon and Balboa was enough to bury Manhattan to a depth of 12 feet.
Interesting Facts about the Panama Canal
First ground broken by French January 1, 1880
Active work started by the French January 20, 1882
Excavation by French (cubic yards) 78,146,906
Excavation by French useful to present Canal (cubic yards) 29,908,000
Amount of money spent by the French $260,000,000
Number of lives lost during French control 20,000
Amount United States paid French for their rights and property $40,000,000
Canal Zone acquired by U.S. from Panama by treaty February 23, 1904
Amount United States paid Panama for Canal Zone $10,000,000
Rental paid by U.S. to Panama beginning in 1913 per annum $250,000
Work began by the United States May 4, 1904
First ship through the Canal September 26, 1913
Date of official opening August 15, 1914
Name of first official ship S.S. Ancon
Canal Zone in square miles 436
Length of Canal from Atlantic to Pacific 51 miles
Width of the Canal Zone 10 miles
Time to transit Canal 8-10 hours
Number of ships crossing daily 40
Number of ships crossing each year 12-15 thousand
Time of passage through locks 3 hours
Maximum bottom width of the channel 1000 feet
Minimum bottom width of the channel at Culebra Cut 300 feet
Number of locks in pairs 12
Locks, usable length 1000 feet
Locks, usable width 164 square miles
Amount of water filling each lock 52 million gallons
Gatun Lake (area) 164 square miles
Gatun Lake is at a nominal 85 feet above the Pacific Level
The draft of vessels using the canal is limited to 40 feet when the lake is at 85 feet.
The channels are maintained to a depth greater than 40 feetto a nominal 45 foot depth.
Some areas in Gatun Lake where the old Chagres River channel ran are considerably deeper than 45 feet.
During periods of heavy rainfall and there is a surplus of was, Gatun Lake is maintained at a level of not greater than 87 feet.
Gatun Lake level is controlled at the Gatun Dam both through a hydropower generating plant and over spillways at the dam.
During periods of sparse rainfall, Gatun Lake is maintained to the 85 foot by releasing water through Madden Dam flowing down the Chagres River to where it meets the lake at Gamboa.
There have been occasions of extremely dry weather (low rainfall) where it has become impossible to maintain the 85 foot level. During those relatively rare occasions, it has been necessary to limit the draft of transiting vessels.
In the case of bulk carriers operating at maximum drafts, the canal gives two weeks notice of any draft restrictions, thereby allowing the ships to compensate for the draft limitation.
Gatun Lake (normal surface level above sea level) 85 feet
Culebra Cut (channel depth) 45 feet
Amount of excavation by Americans in cubic yards 232,353,000
Total concrete for canal in cubic yards 5,000,000
Weight of 1 cubic yard of concrete 1.5 tons
Estimated cost of the Panama Canal built by U.S. $375,000,000
Number of lives lost during United States control 5,609
Toll charge for Disney Magic cruise ship in 2008 $313,200
First Panama Railroad completed 1855
Length of Panama Railroad 47.11 miles
Panama Railroad costs $8,984,922
Amount of carloads of dirt removed daily by railroad 200
Tide on the Pacific side 20 feet
Tide on the Atlantic side 2.5 feet
Average rainfall on Atlantic side 130 inches
Average rainfall on Pacific side 70 inches
Estimated cost for expansion of the Panama Canal $5.25 billion
Estimated year of completion of expansion 2014