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IMARES Wageningen UR (IMARES - Institute for Marine Resources & Ecosystem Studies) View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Wageningen University & Research Publications Panama Canal Extension: A review on salt intrusion into Gatun Lake Jeroen Wijsman Report number C215/13 IMARES Wageningen UR (IMARES - Institute for Marine Resources & Ecosystem Studies) Client: Complaints Mechanism, European Investment Bank 98-100, bd. Konrad Adenauer L-2950 Luxembourg Publication date: December 2013 IMARES is: an independent, objective and authoritative institute that provides knowledge necessary for an integrated sustainable protection, exploitation and spatial use of the sea and coastal zones; an institute that provides knowledge necessary for an integrated sustainable protection, exploitation and spatial use of the sea and coastal zones; a key, proactive player in national and international marine networks (including ICES and EFARO). P.O. Box 68 P.O. Box 77 P.O. Box 57 P.O. Box 167 1970 AB IJmuiden 4400 AB Yerseke 1780 AB Den Helder 1790 AD Den Burg Texel Phone: +31 (0)317 48 09 00 Phone: +31 (0)317 48 09 00 Phone: +31 (0)317 48 09 00 Phone: +31 (0)317 48 09 00 Fax: +31 (0)317 48 73 26 Fax: +31 (0)317 48 73 59 Fax: +31 (0)223 63 06 87 Fax: +31 (0)317 48 73 62 E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] www.imares.wur.nl www.imares.wur.nl www.imares.wur.nl www.imares.wur.nl © 2013 IMARES Wageningen UR IMARES, institute of Stichting DLO The Management of IMARES is not responsible for resulting is registered in the Dutch trade damage, as well as for damage resulting from the application of record nr. 09098104, results or research obtained by IMARES, its clients or any claims BTW nr. NL 806511618 related to the application of information found within its research. This report has been made on the request of the client and is wholly the client's property. This report may not be reproduced and/or published partially or in its entirety without the express written consent of the client. A_4_3_2-V13.2 2 of 27 Report number C215/13 Contents Contents ................................................................................................................... 3 Summary ................................................................................................................. 4 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Background ............................................................................................ 5 1.2 Reports provided by client ......................................................................... 5 1.3 Set-up of report ...................................................................................... 6 2 Present situation ............................................................................................... 7 2.1 Overview ................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Shipping locks ......................................................................................... 7 2.3 Navigation .............................................................................................. 8 2.4 Hydrology ............................................................................................... 8 2.4.1 Water storage lakes ...................................................................... 8 2.4.2 Water budget ............................................................................... 9 2.4.3 Alternative water management ....................................................... 9 3 Panama Canal expansion ................................................................................. 11 3.1 Configuration ........................................................................................ 11 3.2 Shipping locks ....................................................................................... 11 4 Modelling salt water intrusion ........................................................................... 13 4.1.1 Salinity measurements ................................................................ 13 4.1.2 Results salinity measurements ...................................................... 14 4.1.3 Model set-up and calibration ......................................................... 14 4.1.4 Model predictions ........................................................................ 14 4.2 Water quality Gatun Lake ........................................................................ 16 4.2.1 Model set-up .............................................................................. 16 4.2.2 Monitoring ................................................................................. 17 4.2.3 Model results present situation ...................................................... 17 4.2.4 Model results Post-Panamax extension ........................................... 17 4.3 Evaluation model studies ........................................................................ 20 5 Conclusions .................................................................................................... 21 5.1 Penetration of salt water into Gatun Lake .................................................. 21 5.2 Loss of biodiversity due to the increased salinity ......................................... 21 5.3 Potential mitigating measures .................................................................. 22 5.3.1 Increase of water supply .............................................................. 22 5.3.2 Reduction of water use ................................................................ 22 5.3.3 Reduction of water exchange ........................................................ 22 5.4 Water management in the area during the dry season ................................. 23 5.5 Migration of exotic species between Pacific and Caribbean. .......................... 23 6 Literature ...................................................................................................... 24 Quality Assurance .................................................................................................... 26 Justification ............................................................................................................. 27 Report number C215/13 3 of 27 Summary The Panama Canal consists of two sets of lock systems. One on the Pacific side and one on the Caribbean side. The lock systems are separated by the freshwater Gatun Lake. The lock systems elevate the ships to a height of 26 meters above sea level in order to navigate Gatun Lake. The freshwater from Gatun Lake is used to operate the locks by gravitational forces. With the migration of the ships through the locks, salt water is transported upward and penetrates Gatun Lake. More salt is transported in upward direction during downlockage than during uplockage of the vessels. The Panama Canal will be extended with additional larger locks that can transport the larger Post- Panamax vessels. With the completion of the expansion, more freshwater is needed to operate the locks and more salt water will penetrate Gatun Lake, especially during the dry season. It is expected that the increased salt concentration in Gatun Lake will impact biodiversity and effects drinking water supply to Panama city. This report gives a review of various studies focussing on salt water penetration into Gatun Lake. Modelling studies show that salinity concentrations in Gatun Lake will remain below 0.5 ppt. Locally, in the near vicinity of the locks the bottom water could increase up to 0.7 ppt during the dry season. In general those salinity concentrations are too low for marine and brackish species to survive. Therefore, it is not feasible that Gatun Lake could be a stepping stone for marine exotic species to migrate between the Pacific ocean and the Caribbean sea. Some freshwater species in Gatun Lake, in the near vicinity of the locks could be impacted by the increased salt concentrations. Further study on the species composition, the sensitivity to salt water and the expected salt concentrations is needed. Various potential mitigating measures to prevent the increase of salt concentration in Gatun Lake have been discussed. Measures range from the increase of the freshwater supply to the reduction of water use and physical methods to prevent the mixing of fresh water and salt water. 4 of 27 Report number C215/13 1 Introduction 1.1 Background The Panama Canal was constructed in 1881-1914 to allow ships to sail from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and vice versa. Ships are transferred through a three-step lock waterway at both sides. The Panama Canal needs to be extended to ascertain the envisioned traffic demand and to allow the transit of the larger Post-Panamax vessels. Therefore, a third lane will be added with larger locks that are suited for those Post-Panamax vessels. One of the potential effects of the Expansion of the Panama Canal is that Gatun Lake, which is a freshwater lake that is used for drinking water, will increase in salt concentration. The present freshwater conditions in Gatun Lake preserve the biological separation of the oceans while safekeeping biodiversity and water quality for human use. Increasing salt concentrations could potentially have an impact on these functions of Gatun Lake. The European Investment Bank (EIB), which is one of the investors in the Panama Canal Expansion project, has received complaints from various stakeholders concerning the effects of salt intrusion in Gatun Lake
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