In El Jobo, Panama, a wooden boat navigated the muddy waters of the Indio River, carrying Ana María Antonio along with a colleague from the Panama Canal Authority. Their objective was to listen to the voices of local villagers who may be impacted by plans to construct a dam.
The Panama Canal is crucial to the nation’s economy, and the proposed dam aims to secure the necessary water supply, ensuring the canal’s continued operation amidst increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. However, this construction would displace around 2,000 residents and disrupt the flow of water to downstream communities, which has led to significant opposition.
Residents living downstream of the river are fully aware that this large-scale project would dramatically change their environment; nonetheless, there remains hope that it could lead to job opportunities, access to clean drinking water, electricity, and better road infrastructure in their isolated areas, rather than exacerbate their poverty.
Antonio remarks, “We, as the Panama Canal authorities, recognize that many of these areas lack essential services.”
The Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914, accounts for approximately 25% of the government’s revenue. Just last year, the Panama Canal Authority cut the daily ship crossing capacity by about 20% due to insufficient rainfall replenishing the reservoirs necessary for operating the locks, which require around 50 million gallons of fresh water for each vessel. This situation led to delays in shipping and prompted some companies to seek alternative routes. By the time the restrictions were lifted recently, demand had already diminished.
To avert a repeat of this drought issue, exacerbated by climate change, plans to dam the Indio River have been reintroduced. This initiative gained momentum over the summer following a ruling by Panama’s Supreme Court, which allowed for a re-interpretation of regulations that had previously restricted such expansions. For years, there has been interest in constructing an additional reservoir to enhance the main water supply from Lake Gatun, a considerable man-made lake that plays a part in the canal’s operations.
The Indio River runs parallel to the canal through the isthmus, and the proposed reservoir would be located southwest of Lake Gatun. This new reservoir aims to supplement water resources from Lake Gatun and the smaller Alhajuela Lake, potentially increasing the number of canal crossings by an estimated 12 to 13 additional daily passages.
Moreover, these reservoirs serve over 2 million residents, roughly half of Panama’s population, who reside in the metropolitan area.
On a warm August morning, the sounds of monkeys echoed in the lush jungle along the Indio River. The boat meandered past submerged logs and houses constructed from concrete and rough timber perched high on the banks. Locals utilized boats as their primary mode of transportation throughout the region.
As Antonio and her colleague arrived at the town of El Jobo, they carefully made their way up a muddy slope to a meeting room at the local Catholic parish, which was adorned with flowers and bunches of green bananas.
A gathering of residents from El Jobo and Guayabalito, communities that would remain unflooded, awaited them. The canal authority had organized dozens of outreach gatherings in the watershed area.
The representatives from the canal displayed posters featuring maps and images of the Indio River’s watershed while discussing the proposed project, the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, and a preliminary timeline. Antonio explained that they were engaging with community members to address their concerns, particularly those from the 37 small villages facing relocation.
While canal officials stated that the Indio River reservoir is not the sole solution under consideration, Administrator Ricaurte Catín Vásquez emphasized its efficiency, given its longstanding study history.
Jeronima Figueroa, a 60-year-old resident who has spent her life along the Indio, expressed the river’s significance, stating, “That river is our highway and our everything.” The local community’s concerns revolved around the anticipated impact on the river’s flow, the necessity of the reservoir, the implications for water usage, and the locations that would require relocation.
Puria Nuñez from El Jobo encapsulated the community’s fears, stating, “Our river isn’t going to be the same Indio River.”
Kenny Alexander Macero, a 21-year-old father from Guayabalito, acknowledged the financial gains the reservoir might bring to the canal but emphasized the need for real improvements in the community’s living conditions, remarking, “I’m not against the project; it’s going to create many jobs for those who need them. However, it’s essential that the promise of development is genuine.”
A key obstacle lies in the dual structure of authority over the project: while the canal authorities oversee reservoir construction, it is the federal government tasked with implementing major regional development initiatives, and no federal representatives were present at the meeting.
Despite the project being no guarantee of added benefits, there are numerous communities around Lake Gatun that still lack access to clean water. Gilberto Toro, a community development advisor not involved in the canal project, noted that many residents view the canal administration as more trustworthy compared to the national government—largely due to its history of fewer scandals. “Everybody knows that the canal projects come with a seal of guarantee,” Toro pointed out.
Figueroa shared a similar sentiment of trust in the canal authorities, but insisted on vigilant community oversight to prevent their needs from being neglected. “We cannot continue living in such isolation,” she expressed, highlighting the lack of basic amenities such as electricity, water, healthcare, and education.
Looking ahead, President José Raúl Mulino has stated that a decision regarding the Indio River project is expected next year. The final determination will rest with the canal administration, though coordination with the federal government will be essential. Although there won’t be a public vote, the canal administrator is striving for a consensus among the people.
Predictably, opposition has surfaced in the communities that would be impacted by flooding. In Limon, where the reservoir’s dam is proposed to be built, residents remain outwardly concerned. Olegario Hernández, an 86-year-old farmer who has lived in the area his entire life and raised six children there, maintains a prominent sign outside his home that reads: “No to the reservoirs.” Hernández, whose children have sought opportunities elsewhere, expresses his desire to remain, stating, “We don’t need to leave. The canal administration just wants to displace us.”