Gatun, << gah TOON, >> Lake is an artificial body of water, 85 feet (26 meters) above sea level. It was created in 1912 by damming the Chagres River on the Isthmus of Panama. The Panama Canal crosses Gatun Lake through the Gatun locks on the lake’s west side. Gatun Lake covers an area of 163.38 square miles (423.15 square kilometers). A narrow strip of land on the north separates it from the Caribbean Sea. The lake has a rugged coastline and contains many islands. Its water provides part of the route for the Panama Canal and is also used to operate the locks. Gatun Dam, 115 feet (35 meters) high, formed Gatun Lake. See also Panama Canal (Gatun Lake) .
