José Vargas, who has dreamed of having a coffee farm since he was 11 years old, has not only realized his dream. He knows that the sustainable agriculture methods he practices on his land in the Panama Canal Watershed contributes to the nation’s water supply.
The 50-mile-long canal, which dissects Panama, carries vast quantities of water every year. But if there isn’t enough of the precious liquid in the watershed, it not only jeopardizes the drinking water supply for Panama’s three biggest cities and electrical power generation, but it also threatens ship travel through the waterway, said Angel Ureña, who is the Panama Canal Authority’s manager of environmental assessment.
This year, water was so short because of lingering effects of the 15-month El Niño phenomenon that the Panama Canal Authority imposed three sets of draft restrictions on canal traffic, meaning some ships had to carry less than full loads so they could meet depth limits.
Although the rains recently started in Panama and scientists have officially pronounced the end of El Niño, the canal will continue to closely monitor and manage water levels.
This El Niño, which also triggered drought in Africa and India and a particularly active Pacific hurricane season, was one of the three worst episodes on record of the weather phenomenon that is caused by unusually warm currents in the Pacific Ocean.
“This was the worst El Niño we’ve seen in Panama in 100 years,” said Ureña. “Water is already a big issue here and with El Niño we have to be even more concerned.