Many would be surprised to know that Panama Canal runs north to south to link Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, not east to west.By shortening route and reducing cost of transportation between two oceans, Panama Canal allows for lower-cost imported goods and commodities in many part of world. (It saves almost 8,000 miles on a trip from New York to San Francisco.) By eliminating for majority of shipping treacherous route around tip of Argentina, it has no doubt saved countless lives and millions of dollars in lost vessels. However, it is estimated to have cost some 30,000 lives in two attempts – French and American – to build it between 1880 and 1914.
Reducing distance between two oceans provides Panama with a major share of its gross domestic product. Some 13,500 ships transit canal each year, almost 40 a day.
Not commonly known is fact that two oceans have different sea levels, and different levels of high tide. At entrance to Panama Canal, Pacific Ocean can rise as much as 20 feet, but 45 miles away, difference between high tide and low in Atlantic is just three feet.
The longest part of canal, sandwiched between gigantic sets of locks at either end, is manmade Gatun Lake and Gaillard Cut. Gaillard Cut actually rips through a low point in mountain chain that runs all way from Alaska to tip of Argentina.
The Panama Canal has six locks, three near either end. From Pacific Ocean, near Panama City, Miraflores Locks' two chambers each raise vessels 27 feet. A short distance away, Pedro Miguel Lock lifts shipping a further 31 feet. Most of passage through canal is at 85 feet above sea level.
The Gaillard Cut is followed by town of Gamboa, where Chagres River enters canal. Without Chagres and immense amount of water that flows from it, there could be no Panama Canal.
The three steps of Gatun Locks each lower ships about 28 feet, to level of Atlantic Ocean.
The locks are gravity fed from Chagres and Gatun Lake. No pumps are needed. Water pours through a huge culvert in center wall of each lock, a culvert so massive that a locomotive could pass through it. Other large culverts pass through side walls. Water fills or empties through vents along bottom of locks, 26 million gallons in just eight minutes.