Gatun Lake
(Redirected from Lake Gatún)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2022) |
| Gatun Lake | |
|---|---|
 Ships follow marked channels among the hilltop islands. | |
  Gatun Lake | |
| Coordinates | 9°11′N 79°53′W / 9.183°N 79.883°WCoordinates: 9°11′N 79°53′W / 9.183°N 79.883°W |
| Type | artificial lake |
| Primary inflows | Chagres River |
| Basin countries | Panama |
| Surface area | 425 km2 (164 sq mi) |
| Water volume | 5.2 km3 (4,200,000 acre⋅ft)[1] |
| Surface elevation | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Islands | Isla Barro Colorado, Isla Gatun, Isla Falta Calzado, Isla Tres Perros |
Gatun Lake (Spanish: Lago Gatún) is a large freshwater artificial lake to the south of Colón, Panama. It forms a major part of the Panama Canal, carrying ships 33 km (21 mi) of their transit across the Isthmus of Panama.
Supplementary benefits
Angling is one of the primary recreational pursuits on Gatun Lake. Non-native peacock bass were introduced deliberately to Gatun Lake around 1967[2] by a local businessman,[3] and have since flourished to become the dominant angling game fish in Gatun Lake. Locally they are called Sargento, and are believed to be the species Cichla pleiozona.[4]
Notes
- ^ Hulman, Lewis G. (1972). "System Relationships a Panama Canal Water Supply Study". Water Resources Research. 8 (3): 774–778. doi:10.1029/WR008i003p00769. hdl:2027/uc1.31210024723247.
- ^ Zaret, Thomas M.; Paine, R.T. (2 November 1973). "Species Introduction in a Tropical Lake". Science. 182 (4111): 449–455. doi:10.1126/science.182.4111.449. PMID 17832455. S2CID 19268817.
- ^ "Peacock Bass: Fun to Catch, Fine to Eat". Panama Canal Review. February 1971: 11. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
- ^ "Gatun Lake Peacock Bass Fishing Charters". Archived from the original on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
References
- History Of The Panama Canal, by Ira E. Bennett
- The Panama Canal, by Colonel George W. Goethals
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- Panama Canal
- Lakes of Panama
- Reservoirs in Panama
- Colón Province
- Bifurcation lakes
- 1913 establishments in Panama