Gatun Lake

About

Gatun Lake (Lago Gatún) is a mostly freshwater (slightly saline near the locks) reservoir to the south of Colón, Panama. At approximately 26 m (85 ft) above sea level, it forms a major part of the Panama Canal, carrying ships 33 km (21 mi) of their transit across the Isthmus of Panama. It was created June 27, 1913 when the gates of the spillway at Gatun Dam were closed. The water level was about 14.6 m (48 ft) above sea level and was expected to fill to operating levels in the next six months.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.