The Madden Dam, completed in 1935, impounds the Chagres River in Panama to form Lake Alajuela, a reservoir that is an essential part of the Panama Canal watershed. The lake has a maximum level of 250 feet (76 m) above sea level. It can store one third of the canal's annual water requirements for the operation of the locks. Since the reservoir is not part of the navigational route, there are fewer restrictions on its water level.
The Madden Dam was built to prevent the occasionally torrential flow of the once wild Chagres River, which flows into the navigational route of Gatun Lake and to control the level of water in the lake during the dry season. The river's unruly flow posed a major challenge to the construction of the Panama Canal which was originally addressed by the construction of the Gatun Dam. Water from the dam's reservoir is also used to generate hydroelectric power and to supply Panama City's fresh water. The dam and the reservoir behind it were both named for U.S. Congressman Martin B. Madden of Illinois, who was a chairman of the House appropriations committee during the period while the U.S. was constructing the Panama Canal.[citation needed] The reservoir, which had been known as Madden Lake from the time the dam first became operational, was renamed Lake Alajuela after the Canal Zone reverted to Panamanian control at the end of 1999.[citation needed][2]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madden Dam.
^"Hydroelectric Plants in Panama". Power Plants around the World. IndustCards. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
^"Chagres River". Encyclopædia Britannica online. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
November 23, 2023
madden, completed, 1935, impounds, chagres, river, panama, form, lake, alajuela, reservoir, that, essential, part, panama, canal, watershed, lake, maximum, level, feet, above, level, store, third, canal, annual, water, requirements, operation, locks, since, re. The Madden Dam completed in 1935 impounds the Chagres River in Panama to form Lake Alajuela a reservoir that is an essential part of the Panama Canal watershed The lake has a maximum level of 250 feet 76 m above sea level It can store one third of the canal s annual water requirements for the operation of the locks Since the reservoir is not part of the navigational route there are fewer restrictions on its water level Madden DamMadden Dam in 1989CountryPanamaCoordinates9 12 40 N 79 36 59 W 9 21111 N 79 61639 W 9 21111 79 61639Opening date1935Dam and spillwaysHeight67 m 220 ft Length274 m 899 ft ReservoirCreatesLake AlajuelaPower StationCommission date1935Turbines3 x 12 MW 16 000 hp Francis typeInstalled capacity36 MW 48 000 hp 1 The Madden Dam was built to prevent the occasionally torrential flow of the once wild Chagres River which flows into the navigational route of Gatun Lake and to control the level of water in the lake during the dry season The river s unruly flow posed a major challenge to the construction of the Panama Canal which was originally addressed by the construction of the Gatun Dam Water from the dam s reservoir is also used to generate hydroelectric power and to supply Panama City s fresh water The dam and the reservoir behind it were both named for U S Congressman Martin B Madden of Illinois who was a chairman of the House appropriations committee during the period while the U S was constructing the Panama Canal citation needed The reservoir which had been known as Madden Lake from the time the dam first became operational was renamed Lake Alajuela after the Canal Zone reverted to Panamanian control at the end of 1999 citation needed 2 See also edit nbsp Panama portal nbsp Water portal nbsp Renewable energy portalList of power stations in PanamaReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madden Dam Hydroelectric Plants in Panama Power Plants around the World IndustCards Archived from the original on 26 January 2013 Retrieved 7 June 2013 Chagres River Encyclopaedia Britannica online Retrieved 18 December 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Madden Dam amp oldid 1062857940, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
