• 3 min de lectura
• 3 min de lectura
El Niño, phenomenon or event? That was the question that brought together specialists from the Panama Canal, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), and the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama (IMHPA) this Thursday, who analyzed the effects of this climatic variability in Panama and the region.
The Roberto F. Chiari Library of the Panama Canal hosted the discussion "Event or Phenomenon: The Impact of El Niño in Panama," a space for exchange where specialists analyzed the causes, effects, and challenges associated with this climatic phenomenon and its impact on the country.
"The El Niño phenomenon represents one of the greatest challenges for water management, a resource that not only enables the operation of the Panama Canal but also guarantees the supply of drinking water for millions of Panamanians. Faced with this reality, our decisions are based on decades of hydrological information, scientific knowledge, and lessons learned, further strengthened by collaboration with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institute and IMHPA," said Luis Rovira, Vice President of Water Resource Administration, at the beginning of the event.
"Thanks to this combination of science, research, and operational experience, we have a better understanding of our Basin and the effects of climate variability, which allows us to act proactively and make informed, timely, and responsible decisions to protect the country's water security and maintain the reliable service that the Canal provides to Panama and global maritime trade," added Rovira.
Steve Paton, Director of Physical Monitoring at STRI, noted that El Niño has led to an "unusual year," where a dry season recorded extraordinary rainfall, while the rainy season faces a precipitation deficit. "It is a year full of uncertainties resulting from a high-intensity El Niño that continues to strengthen," he stated.
For her part, Luz Graciela de Calzadilla, Director of IMHPA, warned that forecasts point to a very strong El Niño episode, capable of bringing forward the start of the dry season to the second half of November. As she explained, its effects could be felt in important sectors such as agriculture, electricity generation, public health, and water supply for the population.
This is a key month for the Panama Canal and for more than half of the Panamanian population. Historically, it is the time of year when it rains the most in the Panama Canal Watershed (CHCP), providing the necessary water to complete the filling of the lakes that sustain Canal operations and guarantee the supply of drinking water for more than half the country during the dry season.
Gloria Arrocha and Ayax Murillo, from the Panama Canal's Water Resource Administration team, explained the continuous monitoring and analysis measures carried out to evaluate climatic conditions and the state of the lakes. The information obtained constitutes a fundamental input for decision-making and the implementation of the water-operational strategy that allows the Canal to respond promptly to adverse climatic scenarios.
The Panama Canal maintains constant vigilance over the evolution of El Niño and its possible effects on the Basin's water resources. As part of the actions adopted since late 2025, water use optimization measures were implemented in the operation of the waterway. These were subsequently complemented by adjustments based on technical analyses and updated projections of lake levels, including measures such as draft adjustments and, more recently, the reduction in the number of daily transits, a decision adopted for the second time in the history of the interoceanic route.
