Save the Cruces Trail and Panama Canal Watershed

Dear Friends, Work my brother, Bert G. Shelton, has done which is attracting a great deal of interest, particularly in engineering and resource conservation. Inspired by the Panama Canal, he has developed both hydraulic and mechanical methods for lifting very large vessels more effectively and efficiently, while minimizing the use of water.With the current Panama Canal expansion underway, it is being looked at very closely as a possible to solution providing far greater capacity increases (quadrupling instead of only doubling) with the same water, including two even larger lanes, while reducing or eliminating other problems like the saltwater intrusion issue, and providing for further expansion. Our father, Bert J. Shelton founded the Institute of GeoSciences at the University of Panama , plus worked on numerous canal-related projects. His work and that of his father, who helped build the canal, plus my brother's own experience in the area provided the impetus for this developme...

The document below describes breakthrough advances in canal technology and efficient water use that are eliciting a lot of attention in Panama and abroad. By incorporating its recommendations into today's project -- which is still possible at this point -- a sustainable and responsible expansion of the canal would become a reality: significantly increasing its capacity (quadrupling, not doubling) using the same water, with two even larger lanes (not just one), the possibility for future expansion (unlike with the present plan), and virtual elimination of the saltwater intrusion problem and of other environmental concerns. If not done, the Panama Canal's future is in jeopardy. Alarm in Panama is already growing due to senseless decisions -- such as the legislation allowing the effective urbanization of the canal watershed -- threatening the canal itself and encouraging an exponential increase in environmental devastation throughout the country. Many grassroots citizen action gro...