Lots of replies to this comment, but they all miss a critical detail: the Panama Canal isn't just a "man made river" at sea level, it's a series of locks that r

Lots of replies to this comment, but they all miss a critical detail: the Panama Canal isn't just a "man made river" at sea level, it's a series of locks that raise and lower the ships between the oceans, with stops at a few lakes along the way. Ecology problems aside, you need water at the higher elevations to operate the locks, and the lacks have to retain enough water to remain navigable. It's not practical to pump that much water up hill, so we're at nature's mercy for the water supply. If there isn't enough water in the system to operating the existing locks, there's no point adding a parallel set to draw from the same limited water supply.