The Panama Canal launched the 2024-2025 Flood Control Season, a plan that is executed annually during the months of greatest rainfall in the Panama Canal Watershed (CHCP), in order to prevent any situation that could put the surrounding communities, workers or canal infrastructure at risk, according to the company's release.
Controls and monitoring in the Gatún and Alhajuela reservoirs indicate that the level of available water has been equal to that of fiscal year 2022, when the highest historical water level was reached in the Gatún reservoir, as a result of the La Niña event.
This plan includes constant monitoring, adjustments to the gates and hydraulic structures, as well as the planning of emergency strategies to respond to critical situations, and preventive actions are implemented at the community level and with different institutions in charge of ensuring safety. Some of these actions are crucial to:
Maintain navigation: ensure that waterways remain operational, avoiding overflow and blockages that could interrupt the transit of ships.
Protect communities: minimize the risk of flooding in nearby towns, guaranteeing the safety of residents and their property.
Conserve water resources: properly manage available water to maintain supply to the population and Canal operations, even in times of drought.
Environmental sustainability: implement practices that help protect the ecosystem and ensure a balance in water management.