The impact of canals and ports on economic and commercial development around the world is unsurpassed. Passageways between bodies of water connect continents and create efficient interstate portals for cargo ships. Canals and ports harness the capacity of water to carry extra large, bulky cargo, spurring economic growth, agricultural development, commerce and trade in all nations. As cargo ships increase in size, engineers are developing new ways to expand ports, including dredging.

The Panama Canal: A Monument of the Millennium

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Date of Dedication:
December 13, 1999

The dream of Spanish conquistadors, the Panama Canal is one of civil engineering's greatest triumphs. Forty two thousand workers dredged, blasted and excavated the canal.

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They moved enough earth and rubble between Colon and Balboa to bury Manhattan to a depth of 12-feet. The canal was finished on time and within budget, but after completion a challenge remained: how to tame the flood waters of Chagres River, known to rise 25 feet in a day during monsoon season. Solution: Civil engineers erected a dam that formed the world's then-largest human-made lake. Today, the canal operates much as it did in 1914.

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In each transit, 52 million gallons of fresh water is lost, but it is quickly replaced by Panama's heavy rainfall.

Previous ASCE designations include and International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark (1984) and Seven Wonders of the Modern World (1996).

Additional Information

http://www.discovery.com/stories/history/panama/panama.html
Learn about the Panama Canal Discovery style. Interactive site contains a slide show detailing the Panama Canal from its beginnings. Use the time line to learn about important people and events from the canal's history.

http://www.pancanal.com/
Detailed information from the Panama Canal Authority, offering information about current programs and projects, historical trivia and photographs and general information about the intricate workings of the Canal.

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html
Web cam provided by the Panama Canal Authority. This camera shows operations at the Miraflores Locks and other points of interest in the Canal.

http://www.canalmuseum.com/
This site is perfect for the visual learner. It boasts photographs in chronological order, numerous steps involved in the Panama Canal's construction. Also contains historic data and stories about Panama and its people.

ASCE does not endorse any of the above Web sites. They are presented here for informational purposes only.