Chagres River - Gatun Dam and Gatun Lake

Gatun Dam and Gatun Lake

At 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) from the river's mouth lies the Gatun Dam, which created Gatun Lake and provides hydroelectricity. Created in 1913 by the damming of the Chagres River, Gatun Lake is an essential part of the Panama Canal, which forms a water passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, permitting ship transit in both directions. The lake is essential to the canal's water supply, as it provides the millions of gallons of water at the high level needed for the locks to function correctly. The lake is also part of the navigational canal and provides drinking water for Panama City and Colon.

At the time it was formed, Gatun Lake was the largest man-made lake in the world. The impassable rainforest around Gatun Lake has been the best defense of the Panama Canal. Today, these areas have endured practically unscathed by human interference and are one of the few accessible areas on earth that various native Central American animal and plant species can be observed undisturbed in their natural habitat. World famous Barro Colorado Island, which was reserved for scientific study when the lake was formed and is today operated by the Smithsonian Institution, is the largest island on Gatun Lake. Many of the most important groundbreaking scientific and biological discoveries of the tropical animal and plant kingdom originated here. Gatun Lake encompasses approximately 180 square miles (470 km2), a vast tropical ecological zone part of the Atlantic Forest Corridor, and eco-tourism on Gatun Lake has become a worthwhile industry for Panamanians.

Angling is one of the primary recreational pursuits on Gatun Lake. It is suspected that the Cichla Pleiozona species of Peacock Bass was introduced by accident to Gatun Lake by a renowned Panamanian aquarist and doctor in 1958. Locally called Sargento, these bass are not a native game fish of Panama but originate from the Amazon, Rio Negro, and Orinoco River basins of South America, where they are called Tucanare or Pavon and are considered a premier game fish. Since 1958, the Cichla Pleiozona species has flourished and become the dominant game fish in Gatun Lake. The aggressive fish is an angler's dream come true. It hits topwater lures, subsurface lures imitating bait fish, and a variety of fly patterns. When hooked, these peacock bass perform admirably, generating a respectable fight on appropriate tackle. Oddly, they have a preference for feeding during daylight hours. Gatun Lake remains to this day, as it has been for more than 50 years, one of the best peacock bass angling lakes in the world.