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 The canal builders had yet another large and dangerous obstacle to overcome: the Chagres River. The Chagres was the largest river in Panama. It began deep in the rain forest and twisted and turned for 120 miles until it spilled out into the Atlantic. When it was swollen by tropical rains, it became turbulent and unpredictable. During a heavy rainfall it could rise more than 20 feet in a single day, flooding everything in its path. It had destroyed many Panamanian villages. It would certainly be able to destroy a canal. |