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Panama Canal Question

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Samurai Jack, Jul 1, 2002.

Samurai Jack Member

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I have thought about this from time to time over the years.

What do you think would happen if all of the locks on the Panama Canal were

suddenly destroyed or stuck open. ? What would be the end result ?

Just major flooding or something worse. We are talking about the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans here !!!

Any insight ?

( man ….. I think about some weird stuff sometimes ! )

#1 Samurai Jack, Jul 1, 2002

JuanValdez Member

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I wouldn't think anything bad at all would happen. Am I missing something?

#2 JuanValdez, Jul 1, 2002
Rocket River Member

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I read somewhere that the Canal is
not exactly as useful as it use to be.

Read that just going around South America
is not as ardenous a task as it once was. . .
so that the Canal is not *as* big a deal as it use
to be.

Then again . . . If the locks were bombed.
The Pacific would pour into the Atlantic
[which one is the higher end?]

Rocket RIver

#3 Rocket River, Jul 1, 2002
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I think they have to flood these locks, so I don't think that the terrain is flat enough that the water would flow all the way from one side to the other.

http://www.ared.com/kora/java/pcc/javaani.html

It is like 50 miles wide!

#4 Sonny, Jul 1, 2002
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Nothing would happen other than localized flooding. Sea level is basically sea level, and case you hadn't noticed, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are already connected.

I think the locks are in place simply to enable the traverse to happen above sea level - ie, like driving a boat over a hill. It was cheaper to build it that way than to excavate the entire passage down to below sea level.

#5 davo, Jul 1, 2002
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If I were you, I would concentrate on having a safe 4th July. I thought Holden started this thread for a momment.

#6 Roc Paint, Jul 1, 2002

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